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Cataract sufferers will no longer be hit with hundreds of dollars in extra costs when they undergo surgery, with the Coalition - supported by crossbench Senators - forcing the Rudd Government to back-down from imposing the extra costs.
Local Federal Member Paul Neville has welcomed Labor’s confirmation it will no longer seek to reduce Medicare rebates for cataract surgery by a staggering 51 per cent.
After negotiations with ophthalmologists, the rebates will be reduced by just 12 per cent and leading doctors have said it’s likely most practitioners will absorb that cost leaving few patients out of pocket.
“This is great news for our region in particular because of our older age profile, and it will be a great relief to the hundreds of local residents who undergo cataract surgery each year,” Mr Neville said.
“The back-flip means that patients will be now be $236 better off for the most common cataract operation (item 42702) compared to the rebate proposed in the Rudd Government’s Budget cuts.
“Unfortunately, it seems those who have already had surgery under the previous lower rebates have missed out - most of these people are older residents who have paid hundreds and hundreds of extra dollars for their procedures, and are now permanently out of pocket.
“The Rudd Government and Health Minister Nicola Roxon stubbornly imposed these savage financial costs on cataract sufferers without one thought for the impact their actions would have on patients.”
Mr Neville said Labor first outlined drastic reductions in Medicare rebates in last year’s Budget.
“The Coalition told them it was the wrong thing to do, crossbench Senators told them it was the wrong thing to do, so too did doctors, pensioners and seniors’ groups, but they ploughed on and from November 1 last year rebates paid to patients dropped from just over $600 to around $300.
“That left patients – mostly our seniors – the very people who least can afford to pay more, to find several hundred dollars more from their own pockets to pay for this vital surgery.”
Mr Neville said the Coalition told the Government its harsh measures weren’t acceptable.
“We twice disallowed these cuts in the Senate, forcing the Government to twice increase the rebate. However, we said from the start that it should be returned to its initial level and would have rejected the Government’s actions again when Parliament resumed this month.”
Facing a third rejection in the Senate, the Health Minister late last year began negotiations with specialists who carry out cataract surgery, something she should have done at the outset, according to Mr Neville.
“We now finally have an outcome which will make cataract surgery more affordable. It means people can stay living in their homes, continue to drive their cars and enjoy a normal social life – things the Government was prepared to deny people who could not afford to pay more for their healthcare.”
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