In recent years, Governments have funded a number of reform processes to generate change over the short and longer-term to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). These include the 2009 Review of Health Technology Assessment and the following Reviews of the MBS. Unlike the MBS Review Taskforce, these other processes have not aimed to review the entire existing MBS.
2010 – MBS Quality Framework
Announced in the 2009-10 Budget, the MBS Quality Framework took effect from 1 January 2010. A key component of the MBS Quality Framework was to implement a systematic approach to reviewing existing MBS items to ensure they reflected contemporary evidence, offered improved health outcomes for patients, and represented value for money. Information on the process of the review can be found on the MBS Quality Framework page.2011- 2014 – Comprehensive Management Framework for the MBS
Announced in the 2011-12 Budget, the Comprehensive Management Framework for the MBS (CMFM) built on activity commenced under the MBS Quality Framework.In the 2013-14 Budget, the Australian Government committed to continue the systematic review of Schedule (MBS) services.
Ongoing and completed reviews under the CMFM are appraised by the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC). Information on the process of the review can be found on the CMFM for the MBS page.