New Medicare data quietly released by the Department of Health this week reveals Australians are shunning the doctor as average out-of-pocket costs blow past $50, confirming Anthony Albanese’s promise to “strengthen Medicare” has failed.
The data shows:
- Average out-of-pocket GP costs have reached an historic high of more than $50 – an 8 per cent jump in just one year
- Paid GP visits have jumped to 37 million annually under Labor – up from 20 million when the Coalition left office
- Australians are avoiding 10,000 GP visits every single day – 930,956 fewer services in the last quarter alone
Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Senator Anne Ruston said that these new statistics demonstrated the scale of Labor’s Medicare lies.
“There is no stronger proof of Labor’s lies than this explosion in paid GP visits. Australians are pulling out their credit card at the GP nearly twice as often under Anthony Albanese,” Senator Ruston said.
“There are now 10,000 fewer GP visits every single day, on average, under Labor because Australians just cannot afford the record high costs.
“With families already struggling with cost-of-living pressures, more Australians are being forced to make the difficult decision to avoid seeing a GP.”
This concerning new data follows the Health Department’s annual report, which showed Labor failed to deliver its key Medicare objective of ‘Supporting access to a contemporary and sustainable Medicare Benefits Schedule.’
“When even your own health department reports that your central Medicare goal has failed, the Prime Minister’s claims have been exposed as nothing more than spin.” Senator Ruston said.
“With thousands fewer GP visits every day, conditions are going untreated, people are delaying care, and more Australians are being pushed into already-stretched hospital emergency departments.
“Anthony Albanese has delivered weaker access, higher costs and a failing Medicare system – the exact opposite of what he promised the Australian people.”
ENDS
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