The establishment of Medicare revolutionised health care in Australia, with a focus on providing universal access to the health care people need, when they need it.
Almost four decades have passed and much has changed; in both the health conditions that people manage and in the way care can be delivered. However, Australian health policies have not kept pace with change.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated inequities in Australia’s health. Our most vulnerable Australians have not had access to the care they deserve.
We know that gaps in health equity will only widen if we do not also turn our attention to health care that has been delayed or deferred during the pandemic.
