A stronger Medicare for Australian women

The Australian Government is delivering better Medicare services for Australian women and girls to support them during pivotal life stages.
 
From the 1st of July, four new Medicare items will support longer consultation times and higher rebates for specialised gynaecological care.
 
The government has invested more than $49 million to provide around 430,000 more services to help women across the country with complex gynaecological conditions including endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and chronic pelvic pain.
 
This will give women and girls access to timely and appropriate assessments, ensuring they aren’t waiting for critical diagnoses and treatments.
 
The new items are for initial and follow-up consultations which last a minimum of 45 minutes, either in person or via video.
 
Also from the 1st of July, new menopause and perimenopause health assessments are available under Medicare.
 
These new items will support women experiencing the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause to get the holistic care they need from their family GP.
 
One in 5 Australian women will have menopausal symptoms severe enough to interfere with their daily life.
 
The government is providing $26 million to deliver the new health assessments and ensure women receive the best care at the right time for their individual circumstances.
 
Women should talk to their healthcare provider about their eligibility for these new Medicare items, which are available from 1 July 2025.

This is all part of our $573.3 million to deliver more choice, lower costs and better health care for women.
 
The Australian Government’s women’s health package has already started to improve access and affordability with the first PBS listing for new oral contraceptive pills in more than 30 years and the first PBS listings for new menopausal hormone therapies in over 20 years earlier this year.
 
More endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics will be opened, expanding from 22 to 33 clinics, providing specialist support for more conditions including menopause.
 
On November 1, there will be larger Medicare payments and more bulk billing for IUDs and birth control implants saving around 300,000 women a year up to $400 in out-of-pocket costs.
 
Quotes attributable to Minister Gallagher:
 
“Women deserve a healthcare system that provides more choice, lower costs, and high-quality care.
 
“Through the Albanese Government’s record investment, we are delivering even more healthcare services from July 1 so that women can access the care they need, free from stigma, misinformation, and cost barriers.”
  
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
 
“You simply can’t be serious about strengthening Medicare without a serious focus on women’s health.
 
“Women consume about 60 per cent of all health services in this country and they face a range of significant costs simply by virtue of being women
 
“The Albanese Government is levelling the playing field by ensuring a modern Medicare meets the needs of women at every age and stage.
 
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister White:
 
“As a government, we are committed to supporting women’s healthcare and I’m proud the Albanese Government is delivering on that promise.
 
“The new Medicare items announced today represent an investment in women’s health. The measures will ensure more timely and affordable care for women so that certain conditions can be diagnosed earlier and treated more effectively.
 
“Endometriosis, for example, affects 1 in nine women and currently takes an average of seven years to diagnose. This is simply unacceptable. The new items will help to reduce that time and give women more options for treatment and pain management.”
 
Quotes attributable to Dr Marilla Druitt, RANZCOG Councillor, and Specialist Obstetrician & Gynaecologist:
 
“Women living with chronic gynaecological conditions already carry a significant physical, emotional and financial burden. These new MBS items are a step toward easing that load by reducing some of the out-of-pocket costs associated with ongoing care.
 
“RANZCOG has supported the development of the new items and welcomes their implementation as a recognition of the importance of psychosocial and multidisciplinary approaches in managing certain conditions.
 
“These longer consults will allow more adequate time to deal with the highly complex nature of many gynaecological presentations – especially those associated with chronic conditions – improving access to comprehensive, patient-centred care, and better outcomes for many women.”