Changes to the PBS

Are you prepared to fork out for a pap smear? That might be on the cards with a number of changes to the PBS being proposed by the federal government in the mid-year budget update on Tuesday. As of July 1 the government could be paying $650 million less over four years in covering the costs of your tests. This means that as well as a pap smear, you may have to pay more for urine tests, blood tests & imaging services. Critics are concerned the proposed changes could deter patients from testing before it’s too late.

We spoke to Dr Debra Graves, CEO of the Royal College of Pathologists about how the proposed changes could affect you.

Produced by Georgia Clark

DATE POSTED
Tuesday 5th of January, 2016
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