Australian Federal Budget confirms better access and affordability of ultrasound
The Australasian Sonographers Association (ASA) welcomes last night’s Federal Budget commitment which will see the end of the Medicare freeze on a multitude of diagnostic imaging services, benefiting the nine million Australians who access these vital services every year.
“The Australasian Sonographers Association applauds the government for committing to index ultrasound for the first time in 20 years,” the ASA’s CEO Jodie Long said.
The indexation is due to start 1 July 2020 and will then be expanded to all ultrasound and diagnostic radiology services over the following three years.
This is the first significant step to supporting Australians to access and afford vital ultrasound services.
The announcement will benefit many patients such as
· Women needing ultrasound for diagnosis of breast cancer
· Women needing pelvic ultrasound for diagnosis of ovarian cancer
· Australians needing carotid ultrasound to assess the risk of stroke
· Australians needing stress echo to diagnose heart disease.
“Thank you to Greg Hunt for being the first Health Minister in 20 years to put patients’ needs first and recognise how important having access to ultrasound is for the ongoing health and wellbeing of Australians,” said Jodie Long.
