Forum Discussion

_Millie_'s avatar
_Millie_
Member
7 years ago

Brains trust, help me work out how to get genomic testing Medicare funded

Hi All, I’ve been on the Breast cancer train and the station that concerns me most was the visit with the chemo oncologist. Pay thousands of dollars and we can take a tumour sample and determine your cancers response to chemotherapy. No money, no test. Pick chemo or no chemo, your choice, it might do nothing for your cancer/risk/profile/etc. We all know chemo has life preserving benefits, but there are loved people undergoing chemo for whom there will be no benefit, just trauma, suffering, hugh cost in terms of treatment costs, loss of income, and quality of life. If genomic testing was Medicare funded then people wouldn’t needlessly undertake chemo. It is my understanding that the UK and USA offer genomic testing as part or either public/private healthcare plans. How can we get genomic testing Medicare funded? Save loved ones the trauma of chemo, save tax payers the unnecessary expense of chemo, keep people as healthy as possible. This not only affects breast cancer, but I’m sure the test would be highly valuable for other cancer sufferers. How do I / we make this happen? A letter to my MP isn’t going to be enough, help me to make this happen. 💕
  • Riki_BCNA's avatar
    Riki_BCNA
    Member
    7 years ago
    Hi everyone, just to remind that a submission for Onctotype dx testing to be added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule is currently being considered by the Medical Services Advisory Commission (MSAC) with an outcome expected in July.
  • kmakm's avatar
    kmakm
    Member
    7 years ago
    A letter to your MP, all the state health ministers, all the state shadow health ministers, the federal health minister & the federal shadow health minister. Get into social media, get people's stories. Know your subject inside out, have meetings with people who could support you. A petition. Approach every media outlet, from local papers to national tv. Talk to the private health funds about getting into their insurance coverage. Talk to oncologists.

    I've banged on about this subject quite a lot here in the last year. I think a key plank to get this happening is the numbers.

    There's a group that's clearly not going to have chemo, there's a group that clearly is and in between there's a group in the grey area where a genomic test would provide an answer. Studies showed that if everyone in the grey area group did a genomic test, 70% would not need chemo.

    So...

    1) How many people are in the grey area?

    2) How much does chemotherapy cost the health system per person?

    3) How much do the genomic tests cost?

    With the answers to these questions you will be able to do the maths. And you'll know if the numbers are compelling or not. And if they are, you can bet a political party or two will pick it up as a policy...

    A research doctor at the Garvan told me they were getting close to a genomic test being standard in BC treatment. When pressed she prevaricated somewhat and said while it is getting closer it was not going to be anywhere close to immediate. She said it's currently being trialled in leukaemia patients.

    You might like to look at this:

    https://www.australiangenomics.org.au/our-research/cancer-flagships/

    I'd also contact the Cancer Council and see what they have to say.

    Good luck Millie. I hope you can get something happening. K xox