Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty funded by the Australian government's Medicare scheme (1995-2007).
OBJECTIVE
To describe the provision, through the Australian state-funded Medicare system, of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and its laser-assisted variation (LAUP) to the population of Australia between 1995 and 2007.


METHODS
Case series using a comprehensive national administrative database.


METHODS
The Commonwealth of Australia.


METHODS
Subjects comprised the population of Australia. The raw numbers of procedures, reimbursement amounts in Australian dollars, and per capita adjustment nationwide and in each state/territory for UPPP and LAUP for each calendar year from 1995 to 2007 were downloaded from a publicly accessible database run by Medicare.


RESULTS
The Australian federal government paid AUD 8.2 million for 19,534 UPPP procedures and AUD 1.1 million for 3270 LAUP procedures in the calendar years 1995 to 2007, inclusive. There is substantive variability between states in provision. Over time, provision of UPPP has declined slightly compared with population growth and overall Medicare provision. LAUP provision has declined markedly.


CONCLUSIONS
Provision of UPPP under Medicare in Australia has declined slowly relative to population growth and overall growth in Medicare per capita provision. Laser-assisted UPPP (LAUP) has steadily declined and is now rarely used compared with the peak in its provision in the mid 1990s.
Marshall
Nathaniel S
NS
Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Australia. nmarshall@med.usyd.edu.au
MacKay
Stuart
S
Gallagher
Richard
R
Robinson
Sam
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult