MBS Review Advisory Committee (MRAC) Update
The MBS Review Advisory Committee (MRAC) guides the work of the MBS Continuous Review, an ongoing review of Medicare items and services carried out by experts on a continuous basis.
The committee’s role is to provide advice to Government on publicly funded services listed on the MBS. The MRAC aims to improve patient access to high value care through consideration of the appropriateness of existing MBS services, in addition to wider health reform solutions which may include alternate funding models or means of service provision and the addition of new services where a health technology assessment (HTA) is not appropriate.
MRAC is comprised of practising clinicians, academics, health system experts and consumers.
The MRAC meets four times a year, and has met on four occasions to date:
- 9 November 2021
- 1 February 2022
- 4 May 2022
- 5 August 2022
The final MRAC meeting for the year is scheduled for 9 November 2022.
Current Reviews
Surgical Assistant
The Surgical Assistant Working Group was established as a subgroup of the MRAC to consider two issues:
- surgical assistant billing arrangements.
- access to surgical MBS items for non-medical surgical assistants.
This followed a request to government from the MBS Review Taskforce for a working group to be established to consider and advise on these issues.
After a series of working group meetings and targeted consultation processes, at its 5 August 2022 meeting, the MRAC endorsed the public consultation of the Surgical Assistant Working Group’s findings and draft recommendations.
Genetic Counselling
The Genetic Counselling Working Group (the GCWG) was established as a subgroup of the MRAC, to review and provide advice on a submission from the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA) to establish MBS items for professional genetic counselling services.
After a series of working group meetings and targeted consultation processes, at its 5 August 2022 meeting, the MRAC endorsed the public consultation of the Genetic Counselling Working Group’s findings and draft recommendations.
Have your say
Draft reports from the Surgical Assistant Working Group and the Genetic Counselling Working Group were published on the Department of Health and Aged Care Consultation Hub on 26 August 2022. You are invited to submit feedback to MBSContinuousReview@health.gov.au by 11.59pm on 7 October 2022.
The diverse perspectives, experience, and knowledge of all stakeholders, including members of the community, are valued, and will be considered by the MRAC in finalising its recommendations to Government.
Colonoscopy
At its 5 August 2022 meeting, the MRAC agreed to establish a working group to conduct a post implementation review of the 1 November 2019 changes to MBS Colonoscopy items and services as recommended by the MBS Review Taskforce.
This working group will consist of a subset of MRAC members and is currently being established. Findings and recommendations from the working group will be subject to extensive targeted and open consultation processes prior to finalisation and submission to Government.
Vascular Interventional Radiology
At its 5 August 2022 meeting, the MRAC agreed to establish an expert clinical working group to conduct a review of vascular interventional radiology (IR) (including interventional neuroradiology (INR)) services by the MRAC. This topic came to the attention of the Department following the review conducted by the MBS Review Taskforce of vascular services and further consultation with the sector.
This working group will consist of a subset of MRAC members and key external stakeholders and is currently being established. Findings and recommendations from the working group will be subject to extensive targeted and open consultation processes prior to finalisation and submission to Government.
For further information, you can email MBSContinuousReview@health.gov.au
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