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35 rTMS Medicare Subsidised Sessions for Eligible Adult Patients

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35 rTMS Medicare Subsidised Sessions for Eligible Adult Patients
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SupeNintendoChalmers on 16/09/2021 - 13:51 health.gov.au (3831 clicks)
Last edited 16/09/2021 - 18:57 by 1 other user

This is absolutely HUGE news. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a proven therapy used to treat depression. Normally it costs ~$160-$200 per session, now it will be covered by Medicare.

Full government spiel below

Prioritising Mental Health – Supporting access to new therapy for major depressive disorder

The Australian Government is investing $288.5 million to introduce a new service for Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) therapy to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) following recommendations from the independent Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC).

This investment will ensure Australians battling major depressive disorders who are non-responsive to antidepressant medications can access this innovative Medicare-subsidised therapy. This is part of a record $2.3 billion whole-of-government Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan.

rTMS is a form of localised brain stimulation therapy used to target the region of the brain involved in mood regulation and depression. It has been found to be effective in treating major depressive disorders and provides a more non-invasive option for medication resistant patients compared to the alternative – electroconvulsive therapy.

Eligible adult patients who have tried at least two different classes of antidepressant medicines but remain unwell will be able to access Medicare-subsidised rTMS therapy.

Why is this important?

Evidence shows that rTMS therapy is safe, well tolerated, and effective in treating major depressive disorders. Previously, rTMS therapy has been prohibitively expensive for Australians suffering major depressive illness. The addition of rTMS to the MBS aligns with the Australian Government’s commitment to ensure Australians are able to access affordable and safe healthcare that reflects contemporary clinical practice.

These investments are in response the National Suicide Prevention Adviser’s Final Advice and the Productivity Commission's Inquiry into Mental Health.

Who will benefit?

It is estimated that in the coming 4 years, some 90,000 Australians will be eligible for MBS subsidised rTMS therapy.

They will benefit from an initial course of up to 35 rTMS treatment sessions, with one re-treatment course of up to 15 sessions if they have relapsed after responding to the initial treatment course.

How much will this cost?

The Australian Government is investing $288.5 million* over 4 years from 1 November 2021 to 2024–25.

* This investment also appears in the Guaranteeing Medicare – MBS review and new inclusions factsheet

Health & Beauty Medicare Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

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Comments

  • Top G on 16/09/2021 - 14:22
    +13

    Well it's certainly an exploratory therapy, why not include shrooms and weed too

    • krunchymoses on 16/09/2021 - 14:40
      +14

      Username checks out.

      • D2Rflex on 16/09/2021 - 20:54

        Brilliant

    • magic8ballgag on 16/09/2021 - 14:56

      Whilst I don't agree with it, they are prohibited drugs, this is not.

      • Wally on 16/09/2021 - 15:20
        +1

        and yet small trials indicate they can be efficacious in psychiatric treatment

        • magic8ballgag on 16/09/2021 - 15:36

          Please read my comment again.

          OP asked why they aren't being actively trialed, and I provided an answer.

          • Blitzfx on 16/09/2021 - 18:32

            @magic8ballgag: Some people cannot differentiate between an explanation and endorsement.
            Sad to see you got negs for it

    • morse on 16/09/2021 - 15:28
      +3

      Not that experimental anymore, there’s some decent evidence. More so than for psychedelics (which is a super interesting research area) just not a lot of evidence since research has been limited for obvious reasons.
      https://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/resources/…

    • serpserpserp on 16/09/2021 - 15:42
      +1

      Ayahuasca too.

    • katykat on 16/09/2021 - 21:34
      +1

      Just a small correction, though I understand your sentiment. TMS has been around for at least the last 15 - 20 years, probably longer. It's been trialed for ages and available in the private sector for about the same amount of time. It's not some new exploratory therapy the government is taking a punt on.

      PS: Cannabis oil and ketamine are in the trial phase that TMS was in 15 years ago, so they too will probably end up being on Medicare/PBS for mental health treatment eventually.

    • brendanm on 17/09/2021 - 06:36

      No money for pharmaceutical companies.

    • bargainzz on 16/09/2021 - 14:40
      +4

      I think we need to be celebrating the small wins along the way.

      I agree that the government needs to treat the actual cause and not just the ailment. I believe a massive contributor to the rise in mental health issues is poor government policy leading to poor economic conditions. When compared to generations before Australians now have worse income inequality, more expensive essentials (Housing + Food + Healthcare), less job security, and less social connection despite living in a digitally connected world. I've probably left a bunch of things off the list, but these are the things I believe are the 'cause', to which anxiety and depression are the symptoms.

      The problem is this stuff won't get fixed over night and our government has been making these things worse in recent history. If we have more people able to access a new treatment that means people are feeling better in the short term, that's still a win. Even if the other problems still exist.

      • Gervais fanboy on 16/09/2021 - 14:56

        Respect to you for your much measured response there. But to think that government is doing this for our good is nothing else but a utopian reality

        We need to get to a point of being able to see through the things.
        I don’t mind small tokens like these, as long as we are working on eradicating the actual issues itself. But all they do is sensationalise problems into scaring people to do what they want them to do and then throw these little nuggets at us to make us think that they give a (profanity).

        If they really genuinely cared, there would be state funded campaigns against Facebook/Instagram/Tiktok. They are the biggest contributor towards mentally fcking up our society, especially the young ones. That won’t happen coz these companies pay billions to lobbyists and politicians to protect them and provide more tax exemptions.
        Health regulatory bodies right now are working with large business to helping them stay open and they are doing everything possible to shut down our small business. Most of them have gone broke already, I lost my business last year meanwhile woolworths/Coles have been getting financial assistance from the Government.
        These are the real issues that are right infront of us and yet all we get are virtual signalling commercials that are only directed towards 1% of the total problem.

    • freefall101 on 16/09/2021 - 14:41
      +11

      Being annoyed because life sucks in lockdown is not a severe mental disorder that's not treatable by antidepressants.

      The argument that there are bigger priorities is rubbish too. We just agreed to buy $90b worth of submarines, $300 million to improve the lives of 90,000 people is a fantastic investment.

      Plus suicides have been dropping. Mostly because we've been spending a whole lot of money on mental health services since covid started. Apparently all we actually have to do is provide support services and normalise depression so that people feel less stigmatised about it.

      Depression is caused by myriad things and cannot be solved, no matter how much money we throw at it. Treating it is the solution.

    • sloth7 on 16/09/2021 - 23:09
      +1

      "Secondly, I’d rather the government and the media talk about the suicides and genuine mental health victims thats are deliberately being hidden from the publicview"

      The actual numbers might actually surprise you mate

  • matictac on 16/09/2021 - 14:27
    +6

    Ironically missing one too many deals on OzBargain can lead to depression.

    • krunchymoses on 16/09/2021 - 14:40
      +2

      Yeah if I had missed the paramount plus deal I would have been in bed for days.

    • payton on 16/09/2021 - 14:50
      +1

      not hitting 'Buy' immediately then missing out on the chance to buy it
      it hurts so bad

    • Wally on 16/09/2021 - 15:22

      FOMO can be a killer too!

  • PhatChedda on 16/09/2021 - 14:27
    +3

    Can I use this on my testicles. They swolled after the vaccine

    • pompompom on 16/09/2021 - 14:30
      +1

      Yes. It would make them less depressed.

    • krunchymoses on 16/09/2021 - 14:41
      +3

      Only works in Trinidad.

    • darkdinkum on 16/09/2021 - 16:55

      And you need to have a friend whose cousin is a celebrity rapper.

  • Aakkad on 16/09/2021 - 14:37
    +1

    What is TMS:
    https://youtu.be/54LlBePgfms

  • assailantsky on 16/09/2021 - 14:37

    While I support the informative nature of this post, but I think this belongs to the forums.

    OT - the community/mods need to decide if new Gov assistances qualify as Ozb post? What about posts to file your tax return every year? JobKeeper? Job Seeker? New Cancer drugs? Proton therapy in Australia? Maybe we should have a sister website called OzInform?

    • Clear on 16/09/2021 - 14:48
      +10

      This isn't an announcement of 'new therapy'. Rather it's something that has been available for a cost and now it's free. That's what makes it a deal.

      • assailantsky on 16/09/2021 - 14:54
        -2

        Except it's not "free", it is costing tax payers, i.e. shared with every other tax payer in Australia. That's why I was referring to new cancer drugs, they may not be new, but just not subsidised at this time by PBS. When they do go on the PBS, I don't think that is a new deal for OzB.

        If you think that is a deal, then when do they stop becoming a deal? Tax cuts is more of your own money in your bank, is that a deal? You "pay" x amount of tax last year and now you pay x - y amount of tax, that's a deal too right?

        • Clear on 16/09/2021 - 14:57
          +3

          Make a report on the 'deal' if you haven't already and we shall see if the mods deem it a deal under the guidelines.

          Otherwise we're just wasting each other's time with our different opinions that likely won't change.

        • recycledrevenge on 16/09/2021 - 15:19
          +3

          By 'free' we mean free to the end user.

          By that logic, no freebie on this website is free because ultimately someone is paying for it.

          (I don't agree with this being posted as a deal, just for the record)

          • assailantsky on 16/09/2021 - 15:23
            -1

            @recycledrevenge: Understood, but I think a distinction of "free" need to be made between an entity that is created to make profit (businesses) and an entity that provide public goods and services (governments).

        • neyo on 17/09/2021 - 01:01

          Learn definition of free pls

    • Cyan9 on 16/09/2021 - 15:52
      +6

      Yes, and existing customers subsidise all the “free first month” NBN plan deals too, or “new mortgage discount interest rate” deals, but no one ever says that’s not a deal. It’s exactly the same thing.

    • DanielR on 16/09/2021 - 16:37

      I agree this belongs in forums, not a deal- from personal experience where I had a similar deal was moved to forums why not this?

  • rawm on 16/09/2021 - 14:38

    YouTube Explainer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54LlBePgfms

  • sickofiso on 16/09/2021 - 14:38
    +10

    My wife did it earlier. Helped for a bit and then waned off cos of the loss of effect. But over all it works if there is constant simulation. We are on platinum private health because of this but haven't been able to use it as much as we intended to because of lockdowns.

    But good news overall for anyone with mental health issues.

    I hope this area grows and is more accessible for people who aren't able to afford private health.

    • deme on 16/09/2021 - 14:46

      platinum private health

      Does this even cover anything?

  • Pizdets on 16/09/2021 - 14:44
    -8

    Not a deal is it

    • cute as duck on 16/09/2021 - 17:04
      -3

      Not a valid neg is it

      • Pizdets on 16/09/2021 - 17:55
        -1

        Clearly not

  • Nedkellyinthebush on 16/09/2021 - 14:46
    +1

    So from my understanding, this is a non invasive and well tolerated form of therapy. But in order to be eligible you have to try at least 2 different classes of antidepressants, which according to this document are more invasive and less tolerated compared to TMS.

    Now my question is why would you have to go through not one but two different antidepressants in order to access a better alternative? Wouldn’t it make sense to just do TMS? Why would you prioritise something that is invasive and only if it doesn’t work then try the non invasive treatment? To me this is nonsense

    • Kill Joy on 16/09/2021 - 14:48
      +7

      To reduce the costs. Otherwise, the system would be overwhelmed. I'm not saying it's right, though.

    • Clear on 16/09/2021 - 14:49

      Probably because there are different types of antidepressants that do different things? Much like pain medication.

      There would be many reasons.

      • Nedkellyinthebush on 16/09/2021 - 14:51
        +4

        I get that but unlike TMS they have a wide range of side effects including very serious ones. While TMS appears to be much better tolerated. So to me it would make more sense to try TMS first and if it doesn’t work go on antidepressants?

        • Clear on 16/09/2021 - 14:54
          +1

          Everyone has different experiences with side effects. An SSRI only caused me some morning nausea for a few weeks. Others who've had SSRI's could probably say they had it worse.

          It's a good question though. Would be nice to know the real answer.

          • EBC on 16/09/2021 - 15:27

            @Clear: The real answer will be the process of applying for Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) approval. Part of that is demonstrating cost effectiveness vs standard practice (cost per quality adjusted life year). This modelling work will need to demonstrate that the new treatment is more cost effective (including considerations of quality of life in the different scenarios). While I obviously haven't seen the MBS application, I imagine that pharmaceutical treatment first was shown to be more cost effective than TMS first which is unsurprising since antidepressant drugs are cheap and prescribing them is very simple. The costs associated with TMS as a first line treatment are likely too high at the moment.

    • pennypincher98 on 16/09/2021 - 14:55
      +7

      Imho it's 2 steps forward and one step back which is honestly better than most government decisions of 1 step forward and two steps back.

      They don't want to be burdened by a massive cost (and presumed availability shortages too) if everyone was eligible which okay it's a bit shit but for the people that have tried 2 different antidepressants and had them not work should be prioritised as they're more at risk/needing immediate treatment.

    • RolePlayer88 on 16/09/2021 - 15:12

      No idea why u are gettng downvoted. U make some valid points.

    • findingbargains on 16/09/2021 - 20:22
      +1

      Perhaps in order to continue to bolster the pharmaceutical companies' bottom line, since looking after the big business first is one of the cornerstones of neo-liberal ideology?

    • katykat on 16/09/2021 - 21:45

      System burden probably factors into it, but I'd wager the main reason is because rTMS is a huge burden to the person being treated in comparison to medication. It is multiple sessions over the long term, with regular maintenance sessions required indefinitely or until your depression is in remission. Think of it like having to go to the doctors multiple times a week for months at a time. If you have nothing else going on, then ok, but if you work or have family commitments, or have travel limitations etc… then it's not really feasible as a first step. It's what you try when you have no other choice and nothing else has worked.

      Medication classes also treat different things and do different things, so if you don't respond to say, SSRIs, then you try another type to see if that is effective for your type of depression. Plus, TMS isn't some miracle treatment. It doesn't have a 100% success rate or no side effects. No where close. It's just proven useful for people who don't tolerate medication or are treatment resistant.

      Disclaimer: I know a bit about TMS and experiencing it as I participated in trials for it back in the early 2000s and have had it since.

  • Big Lenny on 16/09/2021 - 15:02
    +4

    instead of putting more money into mental health, they gave away billions to companies that got richer due to covid!

    • Nedkellyinthebush on 16/09/2021 - 22:18

      They have been putting money into mental health. They have thrown money everywhere whether it was really necessary or no. We will witness inflation levels never seen before. It’s already started but it’s only the beginning.

  • xtommyk on 16/09/2021 - 15:03
    +8

    Would be good if they put medical cannabis onto the PBS

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 16/09/2021 - 15:10
      +2

      i wish!

    • dust on 16/09/2021 - 15:12
      +2

      I'd be happy if they made it legal to grow for personal usage (like in the ACT).

      • ZilogX on 16/09/2021 - 15:16

        I don't think they are prosecuting that one very vigorously in NSW any more, especially if you happen to "need" it IYKWIM

      • xtommyk on 16/09/2021 - 15:30

        This would be great… should be able to grow 2-3 plants for personal use

    • Koffee on 16/09/2021 - 17:58
      +1

      Trying to compare TMS to marijuana, which can exacerbate and/or cause mental health conditions, is like comparing chalk and cheese.

      • xtommyk on 17/09/2021 - 08:39
        -1

        Cannabis is helping thousands of people in Australia right now with over 10,000 new approvals last month alone

    • magic8ballgag on 16/09/2021 - 18:00

      What does medical cannabis have to do with mental health?

  • doowhydiddi on 16/09/2021 - 15:04
    -2

    Alternatively, you could listen to this a dozen times a day https://youtu.be/M939hOS6BJs
    Combine it with same free flowing dance therapy and you might be on the way to recovery.

  • hotdogwater22 on 16/09/2021 - 15:09
    -1

    Not a deal, this is an announcement.

    • Gehirn on 16/09/2021 - 15:30
      +3

      True. An announcement of a paid service now being free.

    • shabaka on 16/09/2021 - 18:48

      every deal here is essentially an announcement

      an announcement of something being cheaper than it's somewhere else or was before

      which makes this a deal

  • simonpieman on 16/09/2021 - 15:25

    I heard it gives you 5G

  • hetzjagd on 16/09/2021 - 15:34
    +12

    Spent around $5000 on this around april-june this year. Took up a lot of time. It kind of worked but didn't make a significant enough difference for me to change my life then and there. Decided to cut my losses after 35ish? sessions, maybe more. Doctor encouraged me to stick with it and warned that the minor improvement I'd seen could fade if I stopped the treatment. Still struggling to get much of anything done in a day especially basic chores, still chronically unemployed and the thought of going back to work stresses me out a little aside from the lack of energy. Was on an anti-depressant (moclobemide) before and up to the end of the TMS treatments. After deciding to cease the TMS treatments the same psychiatrist then suggested I try a different medication. Stuck with that for a couple of months, put on excessive weight and became super bloated around my stomach and waist area. Ceased that medication and somehow feel a little better now. You can read about some other peoples experiences and ask questions over at https://www.reddit.com/r/rtms/

    • cute as duck on 16/09/2021 - 15:41
      +3

      Thanks for sharing your experiences. The struggle is real, I wish all the best for you

    • MarcusJones on 16/09/2021 - 18:20

      I upvoted your comment as a show of support and wish you well, I didn’t upvote because you had to go through this. It’s the same as when you “like” a post of bad news, always feels wrong.

    • yoke2018 on 21/10/2021 - 20:00

      I’ve tried all the antidepressants, benzos, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, and CNS stimulants. What has been an unexpectedly—but understandably—good medicine for me is lisdexamphetamine (or Vyvanse). Originally for my adult ADHD, Vyvanse has worked absolute wonders for my depression mainly due to giving me focus, energy (eg to do chores or even exercise/walk which benefits further), direction, purpose, achievement/productivity, motivation, clarity of thought, less anxiety, more social bonding, etc. Recently listed on the PBS, so only $6 (from a whopping $120!). Except, I think you need an ADHD diagnosis (child or adult) for the psychiatrist to be able to prescribe this restricted drug—if someone could clarify. As always, speak to your psychiatrist first and remember that no patient is the same.

      Also, if you can, get a pharmacogenomic DNA drug profile test from mydna.life (mouth swap, Australian based, quick results in a week, pretty cheap at $89) and it gives your psychiatrist (unfortunately not sent directly to you) a genetic profile/report of how your body/metabolism reacts to certain classes of medications (like antidepressants) so that your psychiatrist can better tailor the doses and combinations for you.

  • gimli on 16/09/2021 - 15:45
    +4

    This is not a deal and i dont think its the right place to post. Similar to prescription meds although that has clearer restrictions re advertising

    Move to forums maybe

    • ZeeFlyingMonkey on 16/09/2021 - 15:55
      +1

      Maybe could be considered a bargain if you were considering purchasing such sessions … either way it's not my bag.

  • Ciderfizz44 on 16/09/2021 - 16:05
    -5

    Snake oil treatment subsidised by Medicare, who would've thought.

    • EBC on 16/09/2021 - 16:14
      +8

      "Snake oil" with this much evidence of effect is just called medicine.

      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34459284/

      Happy to send you the full text if you can't access that article.

      • Ciderfizz44 on 17/09/2021 - 09:08
        -1

        Unfounded quackery

        • EBC on 17/09/2021 - 09:18
          +3

          Want me to send you the paper so you can see all the evidence?

          Or are you happy basing you opinion on nothing?

            • EBC on 17/09/2021 - 10:09
              +2

              @Ciderfizz44: Thanks for sending this article I hadn't seen it. Just had a read and the authors raise some valid points regarding the primary evidence available. While I disagree with them regarding the meta-analyses being insufficient to declare efficacy, their point that primary data is often derived from small trials is valid. That said, they are doing the same thing they are criticising I this paper by only reporting the studies that show no effect and ignoring the larger body of evidence that shows effect.

              I agree with them that further, large scale trials that mirror pharmaceutical trials for antidepressants are warranted. These types of trials are the best forms of evidence we can generate. That said, large systematic reviews and meta-analyses are the next best. Such systematic reviews are mentioned in the paper I originally linked and have assessed the quality of the evidence using GRADE and have found the quality of the evidence for rTMS to be high and the effects on improving depression to be moderate.

              So while I appreciate this paper and I did read it from beginning to end, at no point in there is anything that supports your claim that it is "snake oil" or "unfounded quackery".

              • Ciderfizz44 on 17/09/2021 - 15:06

                @EBC: Noted, thank you. I'm just concerned where we will draw the line with Medicare rebating alternative medicine. I hope people seeking such treatment are doing so under the supervision of suitably qualified mental health professionals.

                • EBC on 17/09/2021 - 18:14

                  @Ciderfizz44: I'm with you that alternative medicine with no evidence of positive outcomes over placebo shouldn't be funded but once something has demonstrated effect it stops becoming alternative medicine and just becomes medicine to me. I agree there is the need for more robust studies but those would give us more precision to understand the effect. They would be very unlikely to demonstrate there is no effect at this stage based on all the available data I have seen.

  • bdl on 16/09/2021 - 16:14
    +2

    Nek minit, Medicare: "I’m Going To Need Those TMS Reports ASAP. So, If You Could Do That, That’d Be Great…"

  • Bananawon on 16/09/2021 - 16:23
    +2

    Thanks for putting this out there! I don't need the treatment, but appreciate you taking the time to tell everyone

  • pompompom on 16/09/2021 - 16:26
    -3

    Ozbargain fairies at it again, downvoting anyone who dares questions the logic behind this TMS pseudo science stuff just because if it's for metal health it must not be questioned.

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