Significant delays in diagnostic funding means patients are missing out
The path to Medicare funding for new diagnostic technology is a notoriously challenging one, and a recent publication has now quantified the significant delay in Australia’s health technology assessment pathways. The poster, presented at ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, a collaborative effort of The George Institute for Global Health, UNSW, and HTANALYSTS, identified applications took an average 3 years to move through the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC), with almost half of the applications requiring resubmission, before receiving listing on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). This timeframe does not take into account time taken to generate the submission and respond to requests for additional data, with total time closer to 8 years on average.
This data shines a light on the dire situation we face in this largely government-funded sector. The lag in gaining funding is negatively impacting the diversity of diagnostic tools available to Australian patients. A recent health economic report calculated the billions of dollars forgone when funding for critical diagnostics does not occur. Ultimately it is the patients that are missing out. You can hear their stories by visiting The Missing Piece. We encourage you to use your voice and share the message widely that we need faster access to the diagnostic tools required to improve the lives of all Australians.