Screening: Health at risk

Tens of thousands of Victorians are missing out on vital but costly tests to detect cancer, birth defects and other serious conditions owing to a Medicare freeze, radiologists claim. Gap fees for MRI and ultrasound procedures for some conditions have soared to more than $150, and the Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association says patients are delaying or forgoing tests for liver, cervical, bone, thyroid, blood, lung and other cancers. Rebates to radiologists for more than 830 services have been frozen since 1998, despite a Liberal pledge before the 2016 election that it would review the payments. Medicare subsidies for 59 radiology scans and procedures were recently increased. But ADIA president Dr Christian Wriedt said Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed about 66,000 Victorians a year do not get radiology scans because of the cost.

Herald Sun, 18/08/2017, Page 18

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