Minister Hunt delivers on his first Health Budget

The Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), the peak industry body welcomed the second Federal Budget handed down by Treasurer Scott Morrison.  MTAA aims to ensure the benefits of modern, innovative and reliable medical technology are delivered effectively to provide better health outcomes to the Australian community.  Recent Essential polling shows Australians value healthcare over all other issues.  Access to innovative medical technology driven by clinician choice is a fundamental component of the Australian healthcare system, that Australians value highly.

The MTAA welcomes the Government’s Budget commitment to:

• An additional $10 billion investment into Australia's health system.
• Minister Hunt’s first health budget landmark agreements with the Australian Medical Association, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Medicines Australia, the Pharmacy Guild and Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (GBMA).
• $1.8 billion in savings over five years by encouraging doctors to prescribe more generic drugs and other measures agreed with Medicines Australia.
• $374.2 million towards the My Health Record which will allow individuals to access and control their own medical history.
• $30 million for community pharmacy participation in Health Care Homes.
• Fully funding the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) through a 0.5 percentage point increase in the Medicare levy from 1 July 2019.

Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

• Additional $2.4 billion over the next four years towards the Long-Term National Health Plan.
• Establish a Medicare Guarantee Fund from 1 July 2017 to secure the ongoing funding of the Medicare Benefits Schedule and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
• $1 billion to lifting the freeze on the indexation of the Medicare Benefits Schedule

Hospitals

• Additional $2.8 billion to states and territories, increasing hospital funding from $18.5 billion in the current year to $22.7 billion in 2020-21.
• $730.4 million to the Tasmanian Government to secure the Mersey Community Hospital's future for the coming decade.

Mental Health and Preventive Health

• $170 million for mental health support, treatment and research.
• $9.1 million telehealth initiative set to roll-out later this year in regional and remote Australia.
• $15.0 million will be provided for three major mental health research initiatives.
• $50 million for a mental health prevention and support package for serving ADF members, veterans and their families.
• $230 million in cancer screening and research.
• $64.3 million to continue mammogram screening for women from 50 to 74 years of age, through the BreastScreen Australian program.
• $54 million for CGM for type-1 diabetes all children under the age 21.
• $2.2 million for 12 month extension for the funding of cardiac and breast register.

Medical Research

• $1.4 billion allocated under the MRFF by 2020-21 - including over $640 million in 2020-21.
• $79 million to cancer research including $10.8 million to fight childhood cancer.
• $68 million investment into a proton beam therapy facility at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.

Aged Care

• $5.5 billion continuation of the funding arrangements for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme over two years from 1 July 2018.

Ian Burgess, Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Technology Association of Australia said:

“MTAA congratulates the Government and the Minister for Health in the budget announcements made tonight.

“MTAA looks forward to working constructively and diligently with the Minister to get the best outcome for patients possible when it comes to access to medical devices.

“We’ve been, and remain, fully supportive of the Government’s efforts to achieve lasting and meaningful fact based reform of medical device benefits and the sustainability of private health insurance for Australians.

“We look forward to working with the Government to ensure that patients are always the priority when it comes to any healthcare reform.”