Health Budget 2007-2008

Budget 2007-2008 Health Measures

This page provides access to the Health Budget for the Department of Health and Ageing for the financial year 2007-2008 and the associated media releases and supporting fact sheets.

Budget at a Glance 2007-2008 | Improving Medicare and Hearing Services | Better Access to Pharmaceutical Products and Services | Building Health and Medical Research Infrastructure Capacity | Supporting Rural and Regional Australians | Protecting Our Health | Preventing Chronic Disease | Further Combating Illicit Drug Use | A Safe, High Quality Health System | Better safety in food and use of radiation | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

The Hon Tony Abbott MHR
Minister for Health and Ageing

Senator the Hon Brett Mason
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing

Budget at a Glance 2007-2008

Improving Medicare and Hearing Services

• Chronic and complex conditions - supporting patient care
• Sharing Health Care Initiative - continuation of funding
• Australian Primary Care Collaboratives - continue and increase funding
• Dental treatment - enhanced Medicare item for patients with chronic and complex conditions
• Hearing Services Program - improving hearing outcomes
• Medicare Benefits Schedule - better access to after hours GP services
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging - improved access
• Medicare Benefits Schedule - new and revised listings
• Humanitarian Settlement Initiatives - Program of Assistance for Survivors of Torture and Trauma - additional funding

Better Access to Pharmaceutical Products and Services

• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - extension to the listings of Fosamax® Once Weekly, Alendro® Once Weekly and Fosamax® Plus (alendronate)
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - extensions to the listings of Ezetrol® (ezetimibe) and Vytorin® (ezetimibe and simvastatin)
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - minor new listings
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - listing of Strattera® (atomoxetine)
• Life Saving Drugs Program - funding for Aldurazyme® (laronidase-rch)
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - prescribing rights for optometrists
• Community Pharmacy Agreement - implementation of programs

Building Health and Medical Research Infrastructure Capacity

• Medical research facilities – grants for development and expansion

Supporting Rural and Regional Australians

• Royal Flying Doctor Service - additional funding
• Mental Health - increased mental health services for drought-affected communities
• Rural Clinical Schools Program - funding for the University of Wollongong
• Dental School - Charles Sturt University
• Dental training - expanding rural placements
• Visiting Optometrists Scheme - increase funding
• Rural Retention Program - continued and increased funding
• Rural Women’s GP Service - expand services for women

Protecting Our Health

• National Immunisation Program - implementation of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Program
• National Immunisation Program - rotavirus vaccine
• National Immunisation Program - Q fever vaccine
• Mosquito control operations in Northern Australia
• Antivenom production in Australia - continued manufacturing

Preventing Chronic Disease

• COAG - reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - extension to the listings of Ezetrol® (ezetimibe) and Vytorin® (ezetimibe and simvastatin)
• Skin cancer awareness campaign - continuation of funding
• Healthy Active Australia - grants for physical activity projects in the community
• Healthy Active Australia - funding for a national nutrition and physical activity survey
• Sexually transmitted infections - establishment of National Prevention Program
• Breastfeeding - education and support
• Hepatitis C Education and Prevention Initiative - continuation of funding
• Healthy Active Australia - promoting healthy living

Further Combating Illicit Drug Use

• Combating Illicit Drugs - more effective treatment for methamphetamine abuse
• Combating Illicit Drugs - strengthening the Non-Government Organisation Treatment Grants Program
• Combating Illicit Drugs - strengthening drug prevention education
• A Better Future for Indigenous Australians - continuing the National Illicit Drugs Strategy Indigenous communities initiative

A Safe, High Quality Health System

• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme reform - software support
• Professional Services Review - continuation of funding
• Health and medical research - streamlining human research ethics reviews
• Gynaecological cancer centre - establishment
• National Joint Replacement Registry - increased data collection

Better safety in food and use of radiation

• Food Standards Australia New Zealand - continue and increase funding
• Radiation in health care - safer and better use

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

• A Better Future for Indigenous Australians - family-centred primary health care
• A Better Future for Indigenous Australians - Health @ Home Plus
• A Better Future for Indigenous Australians - establishing quality health standards
• A Better Future for Indigenous Australians - building an Indigenous workforce in government service delivery
• Dental training - expanding rural placements