Australian Health Care Reform Alliance

16/04/2026

The value of private health insurance

Feeling confused or frustrated about whether private health insurance is really worth it—especially when you're on a lower income? You're not alone.

This new article pulls back the curtain on Australia's private health system: heavily subsidised, increasingly unaffordable, and offering poor value for many people - particularly those with modest incomes. https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/health-a-symptom-of-gutful-response/?utm_source=Pearls+%26+Irritations&utm_campaign=a409f4f996-Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0c6b037ecb-a409f4f996-583183175

The author asks an important question:
If you can’t afford the specialist fees inside a private hospital, what’s the point of paying for the insurance for a bed in a private hospital? The article doesn't discuss the matter of 'extras' offered by insurers or the added cost of overheads from another layer of administration.

The article also explains how government rebates and surcharges (costing billions) essentially shifts money away from the public system - and why that matters for all of us.

Whether you're hanging onto private cover because you feel you have to, or you've already let it go, this is worth a read. It might just validate what you've been suspecting for a while.

Australia’s private health insurance system is heavily subsidised, increasingly unaffordable and delivers poor value – especially for those on lower incomes.

03/04/2026

Rethinking how Australia classifies remoteness for aged care

Where you live shouldn’t limit the quality of care you receive – but right now, the system for classifying remoteness isn’t keeping up.

A new report has been released on the consultation phase of the review into the Modified Monash Model (MMM) – the tool used to help allocate funding and support for aged care across regional, rural, and remote Australia.

What were the messages?
- The MMM is a useful starting point – it’s simple and nationally recognised.
- On its own, the MMM is too blunt. It doesn’t capture local workforce shortages, housing availability, transport costs, or community disadvantage, all of which have a huge impact on access to safe, quality aged care.

Feedback came from online surveys, site visits to 6 locations, and discussions with peak bodies, NGOs, and government agencies.

Key themes addressed included:
- Workforce recruitment & retention is the #1 issue outside major cities.
- Liveability factors like housing, transport, and local infrastructure are critical.
- We need more than just geography to decide where support goes.

This feedback will now inform further investigations and recommendations. Read the full report here: https://tinyurl.com/5yyvvpy3

Let’s build a remoteness framework that works for every older Australian – no matter what their postcode. For more background go here https://www.health.gov.au/topics/aged-care/aged-care-reforms-and-reviews/review-of-the-remoteness-classification-system-for-aged-care?language=ne

16/03/2026

AMA releases 2024 Public Hospital Report Card

The AMA’s latest report on Australia’s public hospital system is here, and it highlights a system under strain.

The key findings:
The (small) wins: A slight increase in public hospital beds and a marginal reduction in median planned surgery wait times.

The reality: Overall performance is still significantly worse than 10 years ago.

The pressure point: Emergency Departments are seeing record low performance, with just over half of patients treated within the four-hour benchmark.

AMA President Dr. Danielle McMullen expressed deep concern over planned surgery, noting that while wait times have dipped slightly, Australians are waiting far longer than they did a decade ago. "These are medically necessary procedures that prevent deterioration and improve quality of life," she said.

The AMA is also questioning whether the recent $25 billion federal funding boost will be enough, suggesting at least $34 billion is needed to break the cycle of crisis.

Read the full story here:https://www.ama.com.au/sites/default/files/2026-03/AMA_Public_Hospitals_Report_Card_2026.pdf

07/03/2026

Gender Equality Isn't Ideology - It can be a matter of life and death.

This International Women's Day, we need to talk about what’s happening to health rights around the world and the Lancet has an editorial: https://tinyurl.com/5dzszuba

From the Trump administration’s recent cuts to diversity and inclusion programs, to the expansion of the global gag rule, and the growing influence of anti-gender movements - health is on the line.

When we erase the word "gender" from policy or stop funding for equity, we aren't just playing politics. We are ignoring the reality that 608 million women have experienced intimate partner violence, and that maternal health crises are worsening in places like Afghanistan.

The message from The Lancet is clear: You cannot improve health outcomes by pretending disparities don’t exist. Whether it’s cancer research, maternal care, or safety from violence—gender and s*x differences matter. It's something we see every year in the Closing the Gap reports.

The good news? There is a better way.
In places like Rojava, Syria, and in local governments in India, inclusive leadership has led to better healthcare access and stronger protections for women.

We need a gender equity approach - in health, in policy, and in society. Not just for the sake of equality, but for the survival and dignity of all.

05/03/2026

Urgent care clinics in the spotlight

An assessment of effectiveness. https://theconversation.com/australia-now-has-137-urgent-care-clinics-are-they-working-276880

The Second Evaluation Report.https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-02/medicare-urgent-care-clinics-program-evaluation-second-interim-report_0.pdf

01/03/2026

One Year of HHS Under Secretary Kennedy: An Assessment of Outcomes

It has been just over a year since Robert F Kennedy Jr was confirmed as Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). His initial address to staff outlined goals of restoring public trust through transparency, unbiassed science, and ethical leadership.

A review of the subsequent twelve months published by the Lancet, indicates a significant divergence from those objectives. https://tinyurl.com/53y7xbck

The operational changes within HHS have been substantial. The department rescinded a long-standing policy that allowed for public comment on new regulations, reducing stakeholder input. There have been numerous staff departures among advisors and experts, and a reported whistleblower was dismissed. Policy announcements have occasionally been communicated through platforms with restricted access.

These administrative shifts have coincided with notable changes in scientific and public health priorities:

Research Direction: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) discontinued certain programs, including studies on the health effects of air pollution. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withdrew previously issued warnings regarding products promoted for unapproved uses.

Guidance and Recommendations: Federal guidelines on various health topics have been revised in ways that diverge from long-standing scientific consensus. This has contributed to 26 states opting to deviate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) standard vaccine guidance.

Grant Oversight: The CDC awarded a $1.6 million grant for an international vaccine study that has raised ethical questions among researchers, citing concerns about exposing participants to preventable risks.

The management of public health data has also been affected. Thousands of datasets, including those tracking drug overdoses, maternal mortality, and food security, are currently unavailable to the public.

This limits the capacity of researchers and public health officials, both in the US and internationally, to monitor emerging trends and prepare for potential health crises. This data gap is occurring alongside the current spread of communicable diseases, including measles, pertussis, and the recent identification of a human case of H5N5 avian influenza.

From a broader international perspective, the changes at US health agencies have consequences well beyond American borders. The US has historically been a central contributor to global health research, disease surveillance, and scientific collaboration. It has attracted the best and brightest global researchers to its universities and laboratories which are now feeling the loss as that expertise seeks better and more inviting locations.

The current reduction in publicly available data and the shift in research priorities may affect the ability of the US and other nations to inform public health strategies. International partners who rely on collaboration with the NIH, FDA, and CDC face a period of uncertainty regarding the accuracy, consistency and accessibility of US scientific output. When questioned by Congress on these matters, Secretary Kennedy's responses have been described by observers as evasive.

With calls for his resignation reportedly numbering in the thousands, the focus now turns to Congress. The legislative branch's oversight role presents a mechanism to assess whether the current trajectory of HHS aligns with its mandate to protect public health, or whether alternative measures are necessary to address the long-term implications for science and health security in the US and abroad. AHCRA agrees with the Lancet.

24/02/2026

New Closing the Gap Plan released

The Federal Government has officially released its new Closing the Gap implementation plan for 2026, setting out a comprehensive roadmap to accelerate progress for First Nations communities. https://apo.org.au/node/333531

This year’s plan focuses on driving change in critical areas where gaps remain - including employment, housing, health, education, and community safety - with concrete funding and programs attached to each commitment.

The Prime Minister emphasised the Government’s commitment to urgent and meaningful action. “Our government approaches the work of closing the gap with urgency, determination and optimism,” he said. “Across different states and territories, we can see real and encouraging progress, from healthy birthweight and early childhood education through to employment. That success offers us cause for hope and valuable opportunities to learn and scale what works.”

The plan will be delivered through a whole-of-government approach, coordinated by a cross-portfolio ministerial working group in partnership with First Nations organisations and community peaks.

Key initiatives in the 2026 plan include:
- Improving access to safe, secure, and affordable housing through targeted investment and construction programs
- Expanding the Remote Jobs and Economic Development program to double the number of jobs created to provide meaningful employment in remote communities
- $31 million for the TAFE Technology Fund to deliver mobile vocational and educational training in remote locations.
- Finalising the First Nations Education Policy in partnership with peaks, states, and territories to ensure culturally appropriate learning pathways
- Expanding the Low-Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme
- $44.4 million to continue and expand Birthing on Country units across Australia, supporting Indigenous-led maternity care
- $20 million to deliver free community Wi-Fi in up to 50 remote First Nations communities, improving digital access and connectivity
- Establishing a new national framework to better protect families against domestic and family violence.

“The 2026 implementation plan demonstrates that our government is determined to invest in what works,” the PM said. “We are focusing on areas where the Commonwealth can have the greatest impact: jobs and economic opportunities, access to essential services, community safety, and long-term wellbeing.”

Running alongside the implementation plan is the broader National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which is built on four priority reforms:
- Building formal partnerships and shared decision-making with First Nations people
- Strengthening the community-controlled sector to deliver services
- Transforming government organisations to be more responsive and accountable
- Improving shared access to data and information at a regional level to track progress

The 2026 plan represents a continued, determined effort to close the gap and ensure First Nations people have the same opportunities as all Australians.

20/02/2026

The Australian Centre for Disease Control

AHCRA has been a long-term advocate for a CDC and principles such as "Health in all Policies".

The inaugural Director-General of the Australian Centre for Disease Control, Professor Zoe Wainer, is due to start in the role

20/02/2026

A Royal Commission is not a panacea

Dr Anna Howe writes and begins with: Recommendations of a Royal Commission are just that, recommendations: they are not binding on government.

Five years after the Royal Commission on Quality and Safety in Aged Care reported, its legacy offers hard-earned lessons about reform, funding, implementation and the limits of inquiry-led change.

18/02/2026

Falling child vaccination rates herald severe illness risks

AHCRA strongly supports government action to respond to this emerging public health crisis with a new national vaccination strategy.

Before COVID, Australia reached its target of 95% of one-year-olds fully immunised. Now, lower coverage means more babies are at risk of whooping cough and measles.

07/02/2026

Whooping cough is back — and it’s hitting harder

Australia has recorded its highest number of whooping cough cases in 35 years, with more than 82,000 infections across 2024–25. This isn’t just a nasty cough — it’s a serious, highly contagious illness that can be life-threatening for babies, and it’s putting real pressure on families and the health system.

So what’s driving the surge? Why are infants still so vulnerable? And what can adults do to protect themselves — and the people around them?

This evidence-based explainer from The Conversation breaks down what’s happening, how immunity wanes, the role of COVID disruptions, and why vaccination at every age really matters. https://theconversation.com/whooping-cough-cases-are-at-their-highest-level-in-35-years-so-why-the-surge-275082

It's an important read - especially for parents, grandparents, carers, and anyone who spends time around young children.

This debilitating disease is particularly dangerous for babies, but can affect people at any age. Vaccination remains a key line of defence.

31/01/2026

$25 billion for public hospitals — but patients still pay the price

The Federal Government’s announcement of a record $25 billion for public hospitals has been framed as a major win. But peak health and social policy bodies are warning that headline figures don’t fix systemic underfunding — or growing patient harm. https://tinyurl.com/ytmc438u

As Doctors Reform Society President Dr Tim Woodruff bluntly puts it: this is smoke and mirrors. Population growth, an ageing society, and rising complexity mean any increase will be a “record”. What really matters is whether the Commonwealth is finally lifting its share of hospital funding back toward the 50% benchmark it once accepted responsibility for. On current projections, it’s still hovering just above 40%. https://tinyurl.com/4phptwaa

The Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (AHHA) has repeatedly warned that activity-based funding alone cannot keep pace with demand, especially as hospitals absorb the failures of aged care and primary care systems. Hospitals are being forced to do the work of multiple under-resourced sectors — and patients pay the price in delays and overcrowding.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has echoed concerns that emergency departments are overwhelmed not because hospitals are inefficient, but because people can’t access timely GP care, community health, or aged care support. Preventable admissions are rising, not falling. https://tinyurl.com/s4fp7nw2

And as ACOSS and other social policy advocates have highlighted, the human cost is clearest in aged care. Around one in ten hospital beds is occupied by someone who no longer needs acute care but has nowhere safe to go. https://tinyurl.com/4y9ncudt

More than 120,000 older Australians remain stuck on the aged care package waiting list — with no serious commitment in this latest announcement to clear it. https://tinyurl.com/4xp9pbvw

There is cautious acknowledgment that underfundiing of primary care drives avoidable hospital demand, and recent federal steps in this space are welcome. But progress remains slow, fragmented, and years behind identified demand.

Big numbers always make good headlines but must be placed into context. Fair funding, system integration, and accountability are what patients really need.

Until governments address aged care bottlenecks, primary care access, and the Commonwealth’s shrinking share of hospital funding, public hospitals will remain in crisis - no matter how large the dollar figure sounds.