Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am extremely pleased to be here today with members of the optometry community to present this very large petition, with 18,000 signatures in all. I have had experience firsthand with optometry, obviously, with the ageing process. Also, my grandfather ran a very large optometry firm, and I am very happy to be part of this today. Optometry is a vital part of health care, providing essential primary health care and vision to an Australian population that is both ageing and experiencing an increased prevalence of eye and vision conditions. Optometrists provide the majority of primary eye and vision care in Australia. In fact, outside general practice, more Australians visit an optometrist than any other healthcare service.

For many people, a comprehensive eye assessment by an optometrist often results in the prescribing of glasses or contact lenses to restore functional sight, but optometrists contribute so much more to the prevention of vision loss and to vision health across Australia. For example, optometrists regularly detect and initiate management of a number of progressive eye conditions such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and glaucoma. These are eye conditions which are degenerative and, without early detection, can result in permanent vision loss.

Optometrists also work closely with ophthalmologists, referring patients for eye surgery and often providing post-operative care. Optometrists also monitor and refer patients with general health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, which they pick up when they are doing eye checks. Many optometrists also are able to prescribe and administer scheduled medications. Despite the broad scope of practice optometrists provide and the fact that 80 per cent of all eye and vision conditions are preventable with early detection through a comprehensive eye assessment, unmanaged eye and vision conditions cost about $16 billion each year across the Australian economy.

At the beginning of 2015, there were significant changes to the optometry Medicare Benefits Schedule. These changes included a five per cent cut to all optometry consultations under Medicare and an extension to the existing freeze on indexation of the optometry Medicare Benefits Schedule through to July 2018. This disinvestment in Medicare for optometry is having a significant impact on both optometrists and patients, especially in areas of social disadvantage. For many patients who experience disadvantage, any increase in out-of-pocket costs for health care is an excessive barrier to access, and many are just not going to see the optometrist. The five per cent cut to optometry consultations is universal. There are no exemptions for the more vulnerable patients such as low-income earners, children and those in the aged-care sector. Coupled with the extensive freeze on the MBS indexation, the Medicare patient rebate for an optometry consultation is now about $10 less than it should be.

These cuts are placing many pressures on optometrists and on patients, and people are not getting the eye care they need. This will result in the future in some optometry practices having to close, particularly in low-socioeconomic areas. I present the petition today and call on the government to reverse these cuts. I thank the Deputy Speaker for her patience.

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