First week of Spring!

Hi Mona

This is Kathy from BCNA's Policy Team. Thanks for your comment about the Oncotype DX test. It is a test that can provide additional information for some women about whether or not chemotherapy may benefit them. You are correct that it costs around $4,000 for Australian women and is not covered by Medicare.

BCNA has been doing some advocacy work on Oncotype DX. There is currently a submission before the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) for a Medicare rebate. MSAC is the committee that makes recommendations to the Australian Government on which tests and treatments should be covered by Medicare. It is going to consider the application in the next couple of months.

BCNA made a submission supporting a Medicare rebate for Oncotype DX, which you can read here on our website. You'll see we made the submission in 2013 - MSAC processes are quite lengthy. We'll let everyone know the outcome via our website when we hear it.

Kathy

Just by chance I came across an article in the Australian on sept 4th about how th cost of oncotype  test at $4500 is a deterrent to women having it but apparently women who do have a 57.5 less take up of chemo as it  doesn't seem to offer valuable advantages.  I think bcna would benefit from sharing these kind of articles and research with its membership and of course it would be a great advocacy project