Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator Faulkner. Minister, why has the government increased the rebate for cataract surgery on its Department of Veterans’ Affairs fee schedules for medical services to $1,291 while at the same time reducing the patient rebate for the exact same surgery on the Medicare Benefits Schedule by 46 per cent, down to $340?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to the question that I am asked, my understanding, Mr President, is that funding cataract surgery for veterans is not dependent on there being a Medicare Benefits Schedule item; my understanding is that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs is continuing to process accounts for cataract surgery consistent with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs fee arrangements. If it would be of assistance to Senator Cormann and the Senate, I can also provide additional information in relation to this important matter that might be of interest to Senator Cormann and the Senate.

First of all, I could indicate to the Senate that the government is fixing the mess that the Liberal Party created in the Senate two weeks ago regarding cataract procedures by introducing new items to ensure that patients were not left without a rebate at all. I could also say that, thanks to the action by the government, patients have not been left in the lurch and ophthalmologists will continue to receive significant payments for these procedures. The new fee for the most common cataract procedure, which typically takes between— (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, before asking my supplementary question I seek leave to table the two Department of Veterans’ Affairs fee schedules for medical services for 2008-09 and for 2009-10, given that the minister appears to be under the misapprehension that there is no item for cataract surgery on the DVA fee schedule for medical services, as well as the minister’s determination where she reduces the rebate by 46 per cent.

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, the normal procedure is that we will have a look at that material—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I would like to make a short statement in response to this.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is leave granted?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, the usual procedure is to deal with it after taking note of answers.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cormann, I invite you to complete your supplementary question.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have sought leave to table the two Department of Veterans’ Affairs documents.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And leave has not been granted. It is not my decision, Senator Cormann. I am telling you that leave has not been given to table those and I am asking you now if you have a supplementary question.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, if leave had been granted, the minister would have been able to verify that indeed the rebate for cataract surgery through the DVA schedule has increased by 2.3 per cent to $1,291. On that basis I ask whether the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs agrees with the Senate that there is no justification for cutting patient rebates for cataract surgery.

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I need to check with the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs about what his view is but as the minister representing him in the Senate let me tell you what the situation is from a broader government perspective. The government’s regulations in the Senate to reduce the Medicare rebate payable for cataract surgery have been blocked. The consequence of this is that the cataract items did not exist in the Medicare Benefits Schedule, effective 1 November 2009, which means that there was technically no rebate payable under Medicare. The DVA payments system administered by Medicare Australia will continue to process DVA claims for cataract surgery provided to veterans consistent with the DVA arrangements. Under the treatment principles, DVA funds MBS listed services and DVA can pay for services not listed in the MBS unlisted services in certain circumstances. I hope that helps you, Senator Cormann.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. When the Minister seeks further advice from the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs will he also ask him to explain to the Minister for Health and Ageing why he has increased the rebate for cataract surgery? Doesn’t this increase in cataract surgery rebates on the DVA schedule shoot to pieces the health minister’s argument that a massive 50 per cent cut in MBS rebates, on top of previous cuts of 30 per cent and 10 per cent, was justified because the procedure was now so ‘quick and easy’ to perform? Given the cut in patient rebates is now clearly exclusively targeted at the many thousands of mostly elderly patients accessing cataract surgery through the private health system every year, does the government now concede that this is nothing more and nothing less than another strike against patients in its ideological crusade against private health?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am certainly happy to ask my colleague, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Somebody must have the answer.

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am going to provide what information I can to Senator Cormann. It would be very difficult in the space of a minute to answer all the issues that he requested me to address. Fundamentally, you might be aware, Senator Abetz, that what Senator Cormann requested I do is to pass these questions on to my colleague the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. I will do that. I will also say in the time available to me, adding to my previous answer, that if there were no MBS item for cataract surgery then DVA could pay for such surgery if the Repatriation Commission delegate took the view that the surgery would provide a substantial benefit to the health of the entitled person in question. That is, DVA has a legal mechanism that will allow continued funding of the cataract surgery, independent of the MBS and the current— (Time expired)

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.