Australian health system favours the wealthy
Mitchell Institute Health policy expert Ben Harris said the steep fees charged by specialists meant the wealthiest Australians also ended up being the healthiest.
Tuesday 2 July 2019
ABC 7.30: Mitchell Institute Health policy expert Ben Harris said the steep fees charged by specialists meant the wealthiest Australians also ended up being the healthiest.
"People in high socio-economic areas go to more specialists than people in low socio-economic areas," Mr Harris said.
"We know that people in high socio-economic areas are able to pay co-payments. We know that co-payments for medical specialists in Australia last financial year were $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs.
"One in 13 Australians did not visit a medical specialist that they were referred to because of cost."
Video & transcript for 7.30's Health special part two: The truth about hospital waiting lists.
