Question without notice #14: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Machine, Wollongong Hospital

22nd Jun 04

Mr ORGAN (3.10 p.m.) — My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. I refer to his announcement of 9 June that he intends to declare another 20 magnetic resonance imaging machines around the country eligible for Medicare funding. Minister, will one of those MRI machines be the one at Illawarra's major public hospital, Wollongong Hospital? If not, why not?

Mr ABBOTT —I thank the member for Cunningham for his question. I appreciate that, like many members in this House, he is interested in where Medicare funded MRI machines might go. I can assure the member for Cunningham and other members of the House that access to MRI has increased dramatically under this government, from 18 machines back in the late 1990s to 73 Medicare funded machines today. MRI funding has gone up from $20 million a year in the late 1990s to $105 million a year now. My department has set up an advisory committee composed of the profession, the providers, the clinicians and the consumers. That committee will be looking at proposed guidelines for the appropriate placement of new Medicare funded MRI machines. Those guidelines will be announced shortly and expressions of interest will be called for shortly.