title: Co-payments for health care: what is their real cost?
abstract: Based on the premise that current trends in healthcare spending are unsustainable, the Australian Government has proposed in the recent Budget the introduction of a compulsory $7 co-payment to visit a General Practitioner (GP), alongside increased medication copayments. This paper is based on a recent submission to the Senate Inquiry into the impact of out-of-pocket costs in Australia. It is based on a growing body of evidence highlighting the substantial economic burden faced by individuals and families as a result of out-of-pocket costs for health care and their flow-on effects on healthcare access, outcomes and long-term healthcare costs. It is argued that a compulsory minimum co-payment for GP consultations will exacerbate these burdens and significantly undermine the tenets of universal access in Medicare. Alternative recommendations are provided that may help harness unsustainable health spending while promoting an equitable and fair health system.
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, PO Box M201, Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Tracey-Lea
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Laba
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School (Westmead), University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. Email.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Usherwood
authors.affiliation: The Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. Email: ; ; ;
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leeder
authors.affiliation: The Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. Email: ; ; ;
authors.forename: Farhat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yusuf
authors.affiliation: The Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. Email: ; ; ;
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, PO Box M201, Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Vlado
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perkovic
authors.affiliation: The Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. Email: ; ; ;
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, PO Box M201, Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, PO Box M201, Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Beverley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Essue
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D017047:Cost Sharing / Q000191:economics*; D058005:General Practitioners; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans