Governments must shoulder the risks of reform, doctors need to acknowledge their obligations and the public might need to accept higher taxes
Cultural, social and linguistic issues also create access barriers to Medicare-funded services for many Australians. Large sections of the community – including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from non-English-speaking backgrounds, people who identify as LGBTQ+, people who use illicit drugs and people with some types of mental illness – frequently encounter difficulties finding appropriate and culturally safe care from Medicare-funded providers.
Dentistry is a basic health service that is not funded by Medicare, despite the fact that dental problems have clear links to systemic health issues, such as heart disease.with a chronic health condition reported that cost prevented them from accessing dental care when needed. There are few options for people who can’t afford the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare-funded services.Bulk billing doctors are in increasingly short supply and specialist shortages in many areas make it hard to shop around. The only option for consumers who can’t afford gap payments is to go on the waiting list for state-funded public clinics and this can take months or sometimes years.
Creating a genuinely universal Medicare will require substantial structural reform and some politically difficult actions.
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