The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) is an independent non-statutory committee established by the Australian Government Minister for Health in 1998.
MSAC appraises new medical services proposed for public funding, and provides advice to Government on whether a new medical service should be publicly funded (and if so, its circumstances) on an assessment of its comparative safety, clinical effectiveness,cost-effectiveness, and total cost, using the best available evidence. Amendments and reviews of existing services funded on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) or other programmes (for example, blood products and blood-related products; or screening programmes) are also considered by MSAC.
For further information, please refer to What is MSAC?
Please see the Video and Presentation Slides (PDF 853 KB), from an ‘Introduction to MSAC’ webinar that was hosted by the Department of Health on 27 August 2020.
Principal role of MSAC
To advise the Australian Minister for Health on evidence relating to the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of new medical technologies and procedures. This advice informs Australian Government decisions about public funding for new, and in some cases existing, medical procedures.Background to the establishment of the MSAC
MSAC was established in 1998 to improve health outcomes for patients by ensuring that new and existing medical procedures attracting funding under the Medicare Benefits Schedule are supported by evidence of their safety, clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.Evaluation of evidence associated with medical services has been an integral part of the process for the listing of new medical technologies and services on the MBS.
More Information About MSAC
What is MSACMSAC and its subcommittees
Transcript of Robyn Ward video (Word 19 KB)