This proposal consists of two components.

Component 1 – Re-instate indexation

• This component would modify the indexation arrangements for Medicare rebates paid by the Commonwealth Government under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) by bringing forward the re-indexation of other general practitioner services (other GP services) and 58 diagnostic imaging items from 1 July 2020 to 1 July 2019.
• This component would also index rebates associated with those diagnostic imaging services not previously indexed, from 1 July 2019.

Component 2 – Bringing dental care into Medicare

• This component would expand the Child Dental Benefit Schedule to provide eligible recipients with up to $1,000 over two years for routine and therapeutic dental care.
• Eligibility for the new dental scheme would be expanded gradually as follows:
  • everyone under 18 and eligible for Medicare, from 1 July 2019
  • all age pension recipients, from 1 July 2020
  • all individuals receiving full benefit payments, from 1 July 2021
  • all other concession card holders, from 1 July 2022
  • all persons eligible for Medicare, from 1 July 2025.