The Labor pledge to introduce a $2.3 billion Medicare boost for cancer care is a tremendous response to what has become a heart-wrenching dilemma for too many Australians: high out of pocket costs for cancer treatment. “The big increase in funding for diagnostic imaging, oncology, surgery and...

Older Australians will be able to enter an agreement with their GP to enable more personalised and coordinated care under a significant change announced in the Budget. Under the new $448 million primary care scheme for patients over 70, general practices will receive additional payment for doctors...

Improved access to scripts is vital to better health and the Consumers Health Forum is concerned at reports that the government has put on hold plans to ease access to medicines. “We are disturbed by reports in today’s Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian of a hold on plans that would enable...

Political leaders must embrace the need for changes and investment in our health system to create a consumer-centred and equitable 21 st century health system. What is the right level of investment? Is prevention adequately considered currently? What impact will the rising levels of obesity and...

The end of the 20-year freeze on Medicare benefits for radiology and ultrasound should reduce gaps and improve access to diagnostic imaging services for many patients, the Consumers Health Forum, said today. “The change to take effect from July next year, will cost taxpayers $200 million over three...

That a third of low-income adults avoid some foods because of problems with their teeth is telling evidence of the need for dental care reform in Australia, the Consumers Health Forum said today. A report by the Grattan Institute today has called for a universal dental care scheme to help end the...

Cost barriers to dental care are dooming many Australians to avoidable pain and poor health and the Australian Greens' policy to do more to remedy this plight is a welcome step, the Consumers Health Forum said today. “Dental care should be part of Medicare just as the mouth is an inseparable part...

Health consumers already paying out thousands of dollars a year in premiums may at last be able to check out what further out of pocket costs they face going to private specialists with the announcement of plans for an official website disclosing fee levels. “We support this first important step to...

Heart disease is a huge and often unrecognised problem for many Australians, and it is good news that both sides of politics today have announced their support for a comprehensive heart health check to be financed by Medicare. “Even though there is one case of heart attack or stroke occurring in...

The inclusion of the professional pharmacy organisation in negotiations for the community pharmacy agreement is a positive step and serves to highlight the need for consumers to be represented too, the Consumers Health Forum says. This week the Government has pledged that the Pharmaceutical Society...