‘You can’t pretend to care about women’s health while slashing essential pathology tests,’ experts warn

The Federal Government is forging ahead with a plan to axe $356 million from Medicare rebates for pathology tests, triggering backlash from the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and Australian Pathology who warn the cuts will jeopardise clinical outcomes and patient safety.

The funding clawback is set to begin on 1 July 2025, slashing rebates for essential diagnostic tests such as vitamin B12 and urine testing – the very tests most commonly accessed by women.

“The decision to double down on Medicare funding cuts that affect women’s health and make it harder to keep pathology bulk billed will affect the quality of health care patients receive,” said Australian Pathology CEO Liesel Wett.

“You can’t pretend to be concerned about the cost of living and women’s healthcare when you’re cutting funds to vital pathology tests.”

Australian Pathology has launched a public campaign that has already generated over 103,000 emails to MPs, urging the government to reinstate full and fair funding.

A/Prof Dan Owens, Vice President of the RACP, warned “The proposed changes do not align with current clinical guidelines, which support the timely use of diagnostic testing to inform appropriate patient management. Limiting access to these tests may result in unintended consequences for patient outcomes.”

Both RCPA and Australian Pathology have condemned the proposed cuts as out of touch with frontline realities, warning they will shift costs to already-stretched patients, compromise early detection, and add pressure to GPs and pathology providers alike.

“At a time when hip pockets are under strain from the cost-of-living crisis, it makes no sense to put Australians at risk of paying out-of-pocket costs for essential tests,” said Wett. “That’s why the Prime Minister should intervene, reverse the cuts, end the indexation freeze and ensure pathology tests needed by GPs and their patients remain bulk billed.”

The government’s approach to pathology funding has already come under fire. While last year’s Federal Budget announced indexation for one third of pathology items, the change won’t kick in until mid-2025 – more than a year after it was promised. Two-thirds of pathology services will remain frozen at 1999 funding levels, a 25-year status quo that defies logic in a modern healthcare system.

“Inclusion of new or amended items in the MBS is positive, particularly the inclusion of faecal calprotectin testing for symptomatic patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. But the overall trajectory of investment in pathology is heading in the wrong direction,” asserted Wett.

In a move widely described by pathology leaders as bureaucratic madness, the new policy would force laboratories to contact thousands of referring doctors every day to justify basic test orders. This administrative burden could choke already overwhelmed pathology services and GPs, delaying diagnosis and treatment.

The RCPA has sounded the alarm about antimicrobial stewardship being undermined – particularly if testing for urinary tract infections is restricted, leading doctors to prescribe antibiotics blindly, without laboratory confirmation.

“We support evidence-based initiatives to improve testing practices, but these changes risk compromising care,” said A/Prof Owens. “We urge the government to reconsider this approach and engage with clinical experts to ensure that any policy changes support high-quality patient care.”

The RCPA and Australian Pathology are now calling on both major parties to act.

“We’d also urge the Coalition to raise its voice on the cuts and make a meaningful commitment to ensuring that pathology services are properly and fully funded if they are elected,” emphasised Wett.

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