The proposal would grant full Medicare eligibility to 20 MRI units.  Granting full Medicare eligibility means patients can receive a rebate for any MRI item on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).  Ten units would come into effect from 1 July 2019 and 10 units from 1 July 2020.  Up to four of these units would currently be ‘partially eligible’ for MBS rebates (meaning a patient can receive a rebate for only some specific MRI items on the MBS) and be upgraded to full Medicare eligibility.  At least half of the 20 units would be located within public hospitals.