Mri Victory

Illawarra Mercury

Friday September 28, 2007

By COURTNEY TRENWITH

AFTER years of lobbying, a Medicare licence has been allocated to Wollongong Hospital's MRI machine, allowing patients who use it to be bulk-billed.

The Federal Government's decision comes three years after the MRI machine was installed at the hospital.

Illawarra patients who require magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans will now be able to do so without charge. Previously, only inpatients at the hospital could access the service for free, while others were forced to wait weeks for an appointment with a private operator, who often charged up to $200.

MRI technology is vital for accurate and early diagnosis, particularly for cancer and stroke patients. Up to 1000 patients are expected to use the machine under Medicare in its first year.

* FULL REPORT PAGE 4

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

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