Mr McCormack said the announcement will help thousands of people throughout the Riverina.

“Last year, over a twelve month period, there was an average of 3,354 patients needing MRI scans which will now be accessible free of charge to them with no out of pocket expenses,” he said. 

The new licensing is estimated to save patients and the hospital up to $1.2 million. 

“When you’re in pain, and when you’re sick and you have to put those out of pocket expenses on top of that it really makes it hard so we’re trying to make it easier for families and people with health issues.”

Previously, WWBH could only perform MRI scans to inpatients, but the new license awarded will allow outpatients to be scanned as well. 

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Director of WWBH Helen Cooper said she was thrilled about the announcement and what it meant for the hospital.

“Today is a very exciting day for Wagga and the hospital, the license means we can now do everyone as outpatients and they will no longer have to travel or go to private facilities to get scans done,” she said.

“It’s hundreds of dollars out of pocket normally for patients to get MRIs done, and now it will be of no cost for them which is amazing.”

Chief Radiographer at WWBH Johanna Hawkins said the news was a huge relief.

“I honestly can’t imagine the number of people going without these life saving scans up until now, and that’s purely because they can’t afford them or can’t travel to a facility that bulk bills,” she said. 

WWBH is now the only regional hospital in NSW with a license to scan outpatients, with people previously having to travel to major cities like Sydney or Canberra, or alternatively be admitted as an inpatient which was both costly and strained hospital resources. 

Ms Hawkins said it was difficult managing people who had to prolong their stay in hospital just to be able to access MRI facilities.

“There are so many kids in particular who need the MRI scans desperately and as cheap as possible so they would have to be admitted, or people would stay longer than necessary which is hard on our resources available,” she said.

“So there is going to be a high demand with a huge amount of patients coming through and it will help so many people.”

The bulk-billed, licensed scans will be available as of March this year.