Medicare’s scan-dalous X-ray costs

PATIENTS face an average $100 hit to their hip pocket for X-rays and other scans because Medicare rebates have been frozen since 1998.

A Deloitte Access Economics report, commissioned by the federal government, has found Medicare rebates for scans are set at a level 20 per cent below the cost of delivering the service.

In response, the report urges that Medicare rebates for X-rays be increased to slash massive out-of-pocket expenses faced by patients.

And bulk-billing rates for common procedures have crashed – just 51 per cent of pregnancy ultrasounds, 17 per cent of prostate cancer ultrasounds and only 45 per cent of breast cancer biopsy ultrasounds are now bulk-billed.

There is a Medicare funding shortfall of $711 million a year, and scans have the lowest bulk-billing rate of any primary medical services in the country – 77 per cent compared to GPs’ 85 per cent.

One in five patients have to pay the entire bill up front – up to $575 in some cases.