Some key points about 2008/09 medical charge costs above Commonwealth Medicare
Benefits Schedule Fee (CMBS):
- Therapeutic procedures (which include surgical
operations) – charges are 77% above the CMBS
(75% last year).
- Surgical operations – average charges for
different procedures in this group range
from 34.2% to 148.3% above the CMBS.
- Management of labour and delivery – reported
charges for these services were approximately
149% above CMBS while charges for
complicated confinements were almost
46% above the CMBS fee.
- Tonsil and or adenoids removal – reported an
average charge of 148.3% over the CMBS fee.
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- Knee surgery – cruciate ligament repair,
the average charge was 126.5% above the
CMBS fee.
- Total hip replacement – This charge is now
on average $1,380 (114.8%) more than the
CMBS fee (106.3% last year).
- Pre-operative examination by an anaesthetist
(the most common service performed by these
practitioners) – the average charge is more than
88% above the CMBS (87% last year).
- Consultations – specialist charges for initial
consultations were 41.1% higher than the
CMBS. Those for physicians were 24.4%
above the CMBS.
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