Taxpayers will fork out at least an extra $13.5 million for a new fee for pathologists to continue providing the conventional Pap smear test in addition to the new item number for liquid-based cytology until the delayed National Cancer Screening Register is up and running in December.

Department of Health officials told a Senate Estimates Community Affairs legislation committee in Canberra this evening that extra costs will also be borne by the Department of Human Services for continuing with the national bowel cancer screening program until the NCSR is launched, six months after its promised go-live date.