Medicare Boost: Full MRI Services Coming to Cardiff and Charlestown Clinics

newy.com.au – From 1 July 2025, residents in Lake Macquarie will benefit from expanded access to Medicare-funded MRI scans, under a federal government initiative aimed at reducing healthcare costs and wait times.

The reform, part of a $69.8 million commitment in the 2024–25 Federal Budget, will allow all MRI machines at medical practices with a current Medicare MRI licence to offer the full range of 120 scan types listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule. This change will apply locally to MRI units at Hunter Imaging in Cardiff and Charlestown, as well as PRP Diagnostic Imaging in Charlestown.

The announcement was welcomed by Pat Conroy, Member for Shortland, whose electorate includes parts of Lake Macquarie. “These changes will save locals money on the cost of their scans and give patients more choice on where to get them,” Mr Conroy said. “I recently visited the team at Hunter Imaging in Cardiff and saw firsthand the great work they are doing for locals in Shortland.”

Currently, only select MRI machines are eligible to provide Medicare-funded services, limiting options for patients and medical practitioners. The reform is expected to improve access by enabling at least 231 additional MRI machines across Australia to deliver Medicare-covered scans.

MRI scans are used to generate detailed internal images to assist in diagnosing a wide range of health conditions. By expanding eligibility, the government aims to improve affordability and reduce waiting times for critical diagnostic procedures.

A second phase of the reform is scheduled to begin on 1 July 2027, at which point all licensing requirements for MRI machines will be removed at facilities that also provide ultrasound, CT and X-ray services.