The Struggle for Affordable Healthcare in Australia
Ella Helman, a 36-year-old public servant, finds herself caught between the demands of caring for three young children and an aging, sick mother. Her dual-income household is under immense pressure due to rising living costs, making it increasingly difficult to ensure that everyone in her family receives the healthcare they need.
Her children have several food allergies that require regular specialist visits, but the cost of insurance and medical services continues to rise. “It feels like every single year it’s getting tighter and tighter,” she said. “We are having to make difficult decisions about whether we delay that appointment.”
Her mother, Cathy, who is 60 years old and lives in public housing on a disability pension, faces even greater challenges. She has multiple health issues and struggles daily just to meet her basic needs. “It’s the things that are bubbling under the surface but there’s no money there to get them addressed,” Ella explained. “Eventually, they become major problems, and by then, the person’s quality of life is so diminished.”
A new report by the Consumers Health Forum (CHF) highlights the growing crisis in healthcare affordability. The survey of over 5,100 Australians found that one in two people missed out on needed healthcare last year due to financial constraints. The report reveals entrenched inequities, with lower-income individuals, those with chronic illnesses, and diverse backgrounds more likely to face barriers to care.
Key Findings from the Report
- 55% of people delayed taking or getting medication due to cost.
- 50% of people missed seeing a doctor or dentist when they needed to.
- Almost 50% skipped recommended medical tests or appointments due to affordability.
- 67% of people who did not see a dentist cited cost as the main reason.
The report also highlights the broader impact of financial stress on health. Over 35% of Australians reported experiencing at least one financial difficulty in 2025, with many resorting to asking for help from family, skipping meals, or pawning items to get by.
Despite moderate confidence in the healthcare system, only one in three people felt confident they could afford care if they became seriously ill. “Affordability is not an abstract economic issue,” the report stated. “It determines whether someone sees a doctor, fills a prescription, fixes their teeth, or waits and hopes a problem will pass.”
Disparities in Healthcare Access
The report found that certain groups faced higher odds of unmet health needs. These include:
- People with lower incomes
- Individuals with chronic illness
- Those who speak languages other than English
- Members of the LGBTQI community
The cost of private health insurance was the main reason people did not have it, with coverage sitting at just over 60%. While private health insurance can improve care, it can also reinforce inequities for those who cannot afford it.
Calls for Government Action
Dr. Elizabeth Deveny, CEO of the CHF, emphasized that Australians are clear about what they expect from the government. They prioritize more health workers, lower costs for care and medicines, and better access to services.
She highlighted the upcoming May federal budget as an opportunity to address these concerns. “The purpose of this survey is not just to describe problems. It is to help governments and health leaders see where reform is landing — and where it is not,” she said.
Health Minister Mark Butler pointed to recent measures taken by the federal government to make healthcare more affordable. These include slashing the cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and an $8.5 billion pre-election commitment to expand bulk billing and bolster the workforce.
“When we came to government in 2022, it had never been harder or more expensive to find a doctor,” Mr. Butler said. “Bulk billing was in freefall after a decade of cuts and neglect to Medicare. That’s why strengthening Medicare has been a key focus of our government.”
A Call for Equity
For Ella Helman, who is also a volunteer consumer advocate for the CHF, change is crucial, especially for those living on government payments. “These people are really living on the bread line,” she said. “Health care in the public system needs to be free and it needs to be accessible.”
She criticized the way policy makers and government officials treat those on government payments, saying they are often seen as a separate cohort. “It’s almost like all of the decisions made by policy makers and government officials are treating them as one cohort, and saying … ‘We don’t think you deserve a quality of life that is equal to these other people who are working and generating money through taxes’.”
Ella concluded: “To be honest, I’m really sick of it. And I think that we need serious action to bring equity back into the healthcare system.”
