Admin please delete if required Please help shape our future and share. It affects us all and we have till March 25th, 2015. Lobby your local members. Let them know. URGENT OPTOMETRIC MEDICARE CHANGES The security of knowing we can rely on regular eye exams through Medicare has now diminished. In simplified terms, the government thinks that regular exams should be every 3 years for patients from 0-65. How many children can tell us when their vision has changed? Who can afford more medical costs in these difficult economic climate? There is no exemption for pensioners or health care card holders? Please share this letter to advise our new Health minister thats its in her hands to change this. Ms Ley was not part of making the change but is in a position to alter this. Dear Federal Health Minister, Welcome to your new position of Health Minister for our amazing country, Australia. I am writing to you to bring to your attention changes to the optometric schedule that were introduced by regulation, on January 1, 2015. These changes were announced in the May 2014 budget, but have been overwhelmed by the GP changes, the original $7 tax and the new proposed reduction in the patient’s rebate. On January 1, there are some welcome changes. As part of the original Medibank in 1975, a fee cap was been placed on consultations by optometrists preventing optometrists from charging more than the schedule fee for eye examinations This cap was removed on Jan 1 so optometrists can set their charges, like any other professional. There was also an increase in the frequency of medicare paid comprehensive eye tests for asymptomatic patients over 65 to yearly from biannually. This can only be a good thing as we can monitor patients for earlier detection of cataracts, macular and glaucomatous changes. The bad news is that the rebate for optometrical consultations will be reduced to pre 2008 levels, and frozen until 2018. This applies to all patients, pensioners or not. Also, Medicare will only give a full benefit for comprehensive eye examinations every 3 years rather than 2 for asymptomatic patients under 65. The main areas of concern are children, and people aged 40-65. One in four children has a vision problem. Many of our children suffer from undiagnosed eye problems that lead to learning delays and difficulties. Knowing that eighty percent of what children learn comes from what they visually experience, its vital that they have regular eye examinations with an optometrist. Children often do not know their vision is abnormal and they should be entitled to regular annual eye exams and not every 3 years. Similarly the rate of asymptomatic eye diseases such as glaucoma climbs after 40. Similarly to the GP changes, this will have a disproportionate effect in poorer and lower socio-economic electorates. Unlike the GP changes, there is no exemption for pensioners and benefit recipients for eye care. A study done by Access Economics for Vision 2020 estimated that every dollar spent on eye care returns $5 to the economy. It is not too late to change this. As our leader, who cares about your electorate, you must reassess and stop this going ahead. Please think of our children, whose eyes are the window to Australia’s future and think of our parents, and the opportunity of preventing rather than treating eye disease. Ms Ley, it is in your hands to amend this bill and not continue with this bill in the Senate. Sincerely Nicky
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 06:00:46 +0000
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