Friday, 31 January 2025
Pre-Budget submission to the Australian Government
The ASA policy team recently made a pre-budget submission to the Australian Government for the 2025-26 Budget.
The submission focused on four proposals under three priority areas, as summarised below.
WOMENS HEALTH
1. MBS Reform
We proposed the creation of new MBS item/s for endometriosis-specific ultrasounds, noting that the current Schedule Fee for the ‘catch-all’ pelvic examination is too low, and does not adequately reflect the time, complexity and expertise involved in an endometriosis examination.
This proposal is one of the many important women’s health MBS reforms considered as part of the Government’s ongoing review of MBS items, which recently considered breast imaging and a selection of ultrasound items.
The ASA continues to monitor the review and recently made these two submissions relating to ultrasound -
Review of Medicare Funded Diagnostic Breast Imaging Services
Review of Select Medicare Funded Diagnostic Imaging Ultrasound Services
2. Endometriosis Examinations Training
We proposed the roll-out of specialised training to upskill Australian practitioners with the capability to perform endometriosis-specific ultrasounds, which offer a range of advantages in the diagnostic pathway, including avoiding the pain, cost and delays of surgery in some cases and the potential for comprehensive pre-operative planning.
SONOGRAPHER WORKFORCE SHORTAGE
3. Prac Payment for students
We proposed the extension of the Commonwealth Government’s new Prac Payment scheme to student sonographers. The new program was funded in the previous budget to begin on 1 July 2025 and provides eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students around Australia with a weekly payment while undertaking supervised mandatory placements.
REGULATION OF THE SONOGRAPHY PROFESSION
4. Regulation through NRAS
We outlined the continued need for sonographers to be consistently regulated in Australia under the statutory National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) through the existing Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (MRPBA) and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency system.
ASA Submission to the Australian Budget - 31 Jan 2025
Thanks again for your continued input on this important work.
Policy and Advocacy Team