Expenditure
For major obesity procedures, public funding is provided through Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) rebates. MBS expenditure by item is shown in Table 5, with growth rates in the MBS items averaging well over 30% per annum. In current dollar terms, expenditure has increased from $1.6 million in 2000-01 on the six items to $19.6 million in 2009-10 (Figure 4).
Table 5. MBS expenditure by item
| 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
| 14215 ($’000) | 504 | 729 | 947 | 1,500 | 2,200 | 3,400 | 4,500 | 6,300 | 9,000 | 10,200 |
| 30511 ($’000) | 594 | 921 | 1,000 | 1,500 | 2,200 | 3,100 | 3,900 | 5,900 | 7,300 | 6,300 |
| 30512 ($’000) | 57 | 83 | 88 | 103 | 112 | 146 | 155 | 138 | 146 | 173 |
| 30514 ($’000) | 268 | 362 | 329 | 401 | 467 | 697 | 864 | 1,200 | 1,600 | 2,100 |
| 30518 ($’000) | 110 | 91 | 82 | 88 | 88 | 123 | 168 | 292 | 547 | 693 |
| 31441 ($’000) | 21 | 31 | 40 | 51 | 63 | 86 | 97 | 118 | 151 | 176 |
| Total items ($ million) | 1.6 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 5.1 | 7.5 | 9.6 | 13.9 | 18.7 | 19.6 |
| Annual growth (%) | 11 | 43 | 14 | 44 | 41 | 47 | 28 | 45 | 34 | 5 |
Source: Medicare Australia Statistics.
Note: Data based on Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers: 30511 - laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB) and other gastric reduction, and 30512 - gastric bypass. This data is based on health insurance data and therefore does not include bariatric surgery performed on public patients in public hospitals. Other related MBS item numbers: 14215 – long-term implanted reservoir associated with the adjustable gastric band, accessing of, to add or remove fluid, 30514 - revision of gastric procedure, for example to correct misplacement of the gastric band or other adverse effects of the initial surgery, involves complete reversal of the initial surgery immediately followed by another reduction, gastroplasty or bypass procedure (MBS items 30511 or 30512), 30518 – partial gastrectomy; and 31441 – long-term implanted reservoir associated with the adjustable gastric band, repair, revision or replacement of.
Figure 4. MBS expenditure by item from 2000-01 to 2009-10
Source: Medicare Australia Statistics.
Note: Data based on Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers: 30511 - laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB) and other gastric reduction, and 30512 - gastric bypass. This data is based on health insurance data and therefore does not include bariatric surgery performed on public patients in public hospitals. Other related MBS item numbers: 14215 – long-term implanted reservoir associated with the adjustable gastric band, accessing of, to add or remove fluid, 30514 - revision of gastric procedure, for example to correct misplacement of the gastric band or other adverse effects of the initial surgery, involves complete reversal of the initial surgery immediately followed by another reduction, gastroplasty or bypass procedure (MBS items 30511 or 30512), 30518 – partial gastrectomy; and 31441 – long-term implanted reservoir associated with the adjustable gastric band, repair, revision or replacement of.
