Changes to the EMSN
The Extended Medicare Safety Net (EMSN) provides an additional rebate for Australian families and singles who incur out-of-pocket costs for out-of-hospital services. Out-of-hospital services include GP and specialist attendances.
Once the relevant annual threshold of out-of-pocket costs has been met, Medicare will pay for 80% of any future out-of-pocket costs for out-of-hospital services for the remainder of the calendar year.
However, as indicated in the 2009-10 Budget, from 1 January 2010, there will be an upper limit on the benefits that can be paid under the EMSN for a small number of Medicare items.
The Commonwealth’s Federal Budget release shows the current scheduled fee to be $831.60, reducing to $409.60 (from November 2009) with the EMSN benefit capped at $100. This has the potential to make cataract surgery inaccessible or costly for many people.
The EMSN Review Report can be found at http://www.health.gov.au/emsnreview but does not mention cataract surgery, only injections into the eye for treating macular degeneration.
Senators Steve Fielding and Nick Xenophon, have announced that they would join forces to disallow proposed changes to the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery when the changes are introduced into the Senate in October.
The reduction in the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery from $624 to $315 was announced as part of the 2009-10 Federal Budget and is due to take effect from 1 November this year.
