Joint Media Release

Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig
Minister for Human Services
Senator for Queensland

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing

4 February 2009

Medicare Australia — 25 years of service to health professionals

This week marks the 25th Anniversary of the Medicare program that continues to support health professionals through information, incentives and innovative claiming solutions.

The Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, and the Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig, have congratulated Medicare Australia on its success over the past 25 years.

“Since its inception, Medicare Australia’s primary aim has been to improve Australians’ access to health services, through payments and information,” Senator Ludwig said.

“This often means working in close partnership with an array of health professionals.”

“Medicare Australia continues to work hard to ensure people feel confident and supported when doing business with the agency,” Senator Ludwig added.

The Medicare program came into being on 1 February 1984, when Medicare offices across Australia joined the existing Medibank Private network.

Over Medicare’s 25-year history more than 4.7 billion services, including for GP visits, specialist appointments, pathology, diagnostic imaging and operations have been provided to the community.

And over this time more than $160 billion has been dispersed in benefits, including $57 billion for GP services.

“The Medicare program continues to provide Australians with access to affordable, high quality health care,” Minister Roxon said.

“In its 25 years, Medicare Australia has proved its ability to adapt to constant change and innovation and now administers a wide variety of services for Australians.”

“The Rudd Government is continuing the great Labor tradition of commitment to a quality public health system for all Australians.”

“We are determined to build upon Medicare’s heritage, by strengthening it to meet the health challenges of the twenty-first century,” Ms Roxon said.

“Things have certainly changed with time and Medicare Australia has worked hard to keep up with the ever-changing face of technology, for the benefit of the community and health professionals,” Senator Ludwig said.

Senator Ludwig said expanding technology offered health professionals and their practices new opportunities for greater efficiencies.

“Back in 1984, health professionals were required to claim their Medicare rebates via a manual paper-based processing machine, known as a ‘click clack’ machine,” he said.

“They now have a range of options to choose from when claiming payments.”

“The recent integration of electronic Medicare claiming systems with practice management software has already benefited many by offering a faster, paperless way to send and receive payments.”

Overall, Medicare Australia, formerly the Health Insurance Commission (HIC), continues to administer a range of initiatives that make it easier for health professionals to offer effective, convenient health care.

Initiatives include:

• Practice Incentives Program
• Prescription Shopping Program
• Online claiming for PBS
• Rural retention Program

In the 2007-08 financial year, the agency processed around 280 million Medicare services, involving more than $13 billion in Medicare benefits. In total, Medicare Australia manages over $33 billion in payments.

“Medicare Australia is deservedly proud of its history and I look forward to its continuing success when meeting the changing needs of health professionals and the community in the years to come,” Senator Ludwig said.

Media Contacts

Minister Ludwig’s media contact:  Joe Scavo — 0413 800 757
Minister Roxon’s media contact: Sean Kelly — 0417 108 362.