Premium
Effects from changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule in 2014 on cone beam computed tomography and panoramic radiography scans across Australia
Author(s) -
Zhang Alyssa,
Brown Louise F,
Monsour Paul A
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1754-9485
pISSN - 1754-9477
DOI - 10.1111/1754-9485.12603
Subject(s) - medicine , cone beam computed tomography , reduction (mathematics) , radiography , nuclear medicine , computed tomography , schedule , radiology , geometry , mathematics , computer science , operating system
This study examines the effects of the new Medicare Benefits Schedule ( MBS ) operating from 1st November 2014 on the number of Medicare rebated panoramic radiography ( PR ) and cone beam computed tomography ( CBCT ) scans. Methods Data for rebated PR and CBCT scans were extracted from Medicare Australia Statistics online for four 12‐month periods: November 2011–October 2012, November 2012–October 2013, November 2013–October 2014 and December 2014–November 2015. Results There was a reduction in the number of CBCT scans rebated across Australia under the new MBS . Nationally, December 2014–November 2015 showed a 65.3% reduction in the number of CBCT scans when compared to the peak in the previous 12 months under the old MBS . The number of rebated PR scans remained constant. Conclusion The new MBS implemented on 1st November 2014 resulted in a reduction in the number of rebated CBCT scans, but had no effect on rebated PR scans. Overall, there has been considerable cost savings for Medicare due to the change in MBS . Additionally, the reduction in the number of rebated CBCT scans has resulted in a substantial reduction in the ionising radiation load to the Australian community as a whole, but especially the younger age groups.