Tuesday, 30 July 2024

Health services

Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (18:04): (1002) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health, and the action I am seeking is for improved access to publicly funded outpatient and community health services across Victoria. Many Victorians know firsthand that the cost of health care has been steadily increasing for decades. GP and specialist fees, medications, procedures, radiology, pathology, allied health, dressings and aids – the out-of-pocket costs for these are on the rise. Meanwhile private health insurance premiums and gaps are growing despite multibillion-dollar taxpayer subsidies to the industry, and many services are not actually even covered by private health insurance. The fact is that despite the buck-passing both levels of government, state and federal, are failing to protect people from the rising out-of-pocket costs required to maintain good health.

In Victoria the state is responsible for community health services which provide public primary care, but the state government has been reluctant to increase funding or expand these services, meaning access for most people is very limited. Public specialist outpatient services are patchy. Wait times for many specialties are shamefully long. Appointments to see an ear, nose and throat specialist, ophthalmologist or dentist stretch into the years in some areas – and that is if the services are available at all. The lack of meaningful access to public health care leaves many forking out financially crippling amounts in terms of out-of-pocket costs to get private care, delaying care or forgoing it altogether.

Over a third of those on low incomes spend more than 10 per cent of their household income on health care and have to choose between paying for medication and putting a roof over their heads. Evidence has shown us that when people experience a health shock this leads to a financial loss that persists and worsens over time. This was shown most recently in a Productivity Commission report released only last month. But the biggest catch for many people is that delaying health care leads to more severe problems down the track. Young people, those on low incomes, those in rural areas and those living with chronic health conditions are all more likely to delay or forgo care due to cost. These are the sorts of issues that we associate with countries like the United States, while we proudly boast about our so-called universal public health system when in fact we are dangerously close to heading in the same direction.

Reducing out-of-pocket costs for Victorians, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis, should be a priority for the state Labor government. Strong publicly funded health systems that focus on keeping people out of hospital are cheaper in the long term and help to build healthier and more equal societies. Access to high-quality public health services, regardless of your income or postcode, is a cornerstone of a healthy, more equal and productive society, and the Greens will continue to advocate for this to be a priority.