AMA Transcript – AMA Vice President, Dr Stephen Parnis, Sunrise

DAVID KOCH:Doctors are furious with the new Turnbull Government over its review of the Medicare Benefits Schedule. The AMA says the Government is attacking the integrity of the medical profession. Health Minister Sussan Ley says 5700 treatments will be reviewed; she says the system is stuck in the last century.

[Excerpt]

SUSSAN LEY:A large volume of items that have not been renewed or refreshed since the early ’80s.

DAVID KOCH:The Minister says up to 30 per cent of the money spent on the scheme could be wasted, a claim rejected by the AMA. Joining me now from Melbourne is AMA Vice President Dr Stephen Parnis. Doctor, thanks for joining us.

STEPHEN PARNIS:Good morning Kochie.

DAVID KOCH:Is the system stuck in the 20th century? Is a review needed?

STEPHEN PARNIS:We do need a review. We need a schedule that does reflect modern practice, and the AMA’s been involved in good faith since April this year in what the Government have proposed. But the Government seems to have gone off the rails with what they’re doing now, and we’ve been compelled to say that what they’re trying to do at the moment, which is cut away from the Medicare Benefits Schedule without updating or adding new item numbers or new approaches is of profound concern to us.

DAVID KOCH:Okay, you’re really aggressive in your attack on the Government’s moves. Just for us mere mortals, how has it gone off the rails? Are you saying it’s cutting out too much when it should be bringing in bits to replace it?

STEPHEN PARNIS:Well we took singular exception to the Minister’s press release yesterday, where the headline was unnecessary – ‘dangerous, unsafe, redundant procedures’ which does nothing but undermine confidence in the relationship between a doctor and their patient. If you’re going to renovate a house, you’ve got to have something in the budget to get new furniture in, and the Minister’s being incredibly evasive on any mechanism to put items that do reflect modern practice, which is what we’ve been supportive of.

DAVID KOCH:Like what? Like what, what do you mean?

STEPHEN PARNIS:Well, as we all know, the Medicare Benefits Schedule has been around since 1984, and a lot of medical practice has changed in terms of the types of procedures that are used now to deliver the treatment that we need. So we’re the first to say that it needs an update, but you can’t just take away without any sort of provision for new additions to the system.

DAVID KOCH:Okay, well it affects a lot of people, we’ll keep a close watch on it and keep up to date with you. Thank you.