PoliticalClaims.au

**Criticisms of the Coalition's policy:** Optometry Australia and other health advocates strongly opposed the changes, arguing that reducing the rebate percentage and extending the freeze would: - Make eye care less accessible for low-income Australians [7] - Reduce the sustainability of optometry practices [1] - Potentially lead to worse health outcomes given that 80% of vision impairment is preventable [7] Over 400 optometrists reportedly sent more than 5,500 emails to federal representatives urging reversal of the decision [3]. **Government rationale and policy context:** The Coalition Government argued that: - The budget faced significant structural deficits requiring corrective action [5] - The removal of the charging cap gave optometrists flexibility to set appropriate fees [2] - The MBS review process was underway to modernise Medicare (the MBS Review Taskforce was later established and continues to make recommendations) [8] The 2014 budget was the new government's first budget, inheriting a fiscal situation that both parties agreed required addressing - though they differed on methods. **Comparative context:** Both Labor and Coalition governments have used Medicare rebate policy as a budget management tool.