Budget Measures 2008-09 - Budget Paper No. 2 - Part 2: Expense Measures

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Human Services

Election Commitments

Medicare Office — Emerald

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Medicare Australia	-	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4

The Government will provide $1.6 million over four years to establish a new Medicare office in Emerald, Queensland. The office will be co‑located with the existing Centrelink Customer Service Centre, and will provide increased convenience for people in accessing Medicare services in Emerald and surrounding areas.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Other measures

Centrelink — consolidating technology capability

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Centrelink	-	13.3	-	-	-

The Government will provide $13.3 million in 2008‑09 to maintain its investment in the Centrelink IT Refresh project, following the completion of the project on 30 June 2008. Funding beyond 2008‑09 will be examined in the broader context of the Portfolio's service delivery requirements.

Medicare EasyClaim — increasing take‑up

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Medicare Australia	-	7.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
Related capital ($m)
Medicare Australia	-	0.7	-	-	-

The Government will provide $8.6 million over four years to increase the take‑up of electronic Medicare claiming. This funding will be used to develop and make available to medical practices, software which is integrated with their practice software. This will increase the number of medical practices at which patients can receive their Medicare rebate electronically, without the need to visit a Medicare Office.

This measure includes $0.7 million in capital funding in 2008‑09 for information system changes.

Service Delivery Reform

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Human Services	-	10.0	-	-	-

The Government will provide $10.0 million in 2008‑09 to examine service delivery reform initiatives in the Human Services portfolio.

This measure includes the development of business cases, risk assessments and implementation plans aimed at modernising and improving service delivery by Centrelink, Medicare Australia and other agencies in the portfolio.

See also the related savings measure titled Responsible Budget Management — Human Services — departmental funding in the Human Services portfolio.

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