title: How changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule could improve the practice of cardiology and save taxpayer money.
abstract: Rising health care costs above inflation are placing serious strains on the sustainability of the Australian Medicare system in its current structure. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), which lists rebates payable to patients for private medical services provided on a fee-for-service basis, is the cornerstone of the Australian health care system. Introduced in the 1980s, the MBS has changed little despite major advances in the evidence base for the practice of cardiology. We outline how we believe sensible changes to the MBS listings for four cardiac services--invasive coronary angiography, computed tomography coronary angiography, stress testing and percutaneous coronary intervention--would improve the clinical practice of cardiology and save substantial amounts of taxpayer money.
authors.affiliation: Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC richard.harper@monashhealth.org.
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasis
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
authors.forename: Vijaya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sundararajan
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002309:Cardiology / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000191:economics; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000191:economics; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000191:economics; D013660:Taxes / Q000191:economics; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000191:economics