MTAA calls on the ALP to match Coalition's commitment to the medical devices industry

MTAA has today welcomed Health Minister Greg Hunt’s commitment to the medical devices industry to continue to honour the Agreement signed with the sector in 2017 and calls on the ALP to match that commitment.

The Agreement, signed in October 2017, will save private health insurers $1.1 billion in payments for medical devices over the next four years, and helped deliver the lowest private health premium increase in 18 years in December 2018.

A key part of the Agreement was the undertaking by Government to accelerate the process of listing non-implantable medical devices on the Prostheses List, to allow more Australians access to cutting edge technology.

Ian Burgess, Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Technology Association of Australia said:

“We welcome Minister Hunt’s commitment to the medical technology industry to continue to honour the Agreement signed in 2017.

“We call on the ALP to match this commitment to honour the Agreement, if elected this Saturday.

“The Agreement has provided certainty for the industry and delivered the lowest private health insurance premium increase in 18 years.

“MTAA would actively contribute to the ALP’s proposed Productivity Commission review of private health insurance, however it is important that the reforms that result from the Government’s Agreement with the MedTech industry continue to be progressed.

“The Government’s undertaking to list non-implantable devices on the Prostheses List has resulted in patient access to life-changing catheter ablation technology through their private health insurance.

“We look forward to many more cutting edge medical devices being made available to patients as part of this ongoing process.”