ICFHS researchers write in Croakey Health Media about ‘healthcare election’ and the importance on quality care

In a recent article for Croakey Media, ICFHS researchers Rafal Chomik, Michael Wright, and Shona Bates discuss election pledges for healthcare. They welcome new funding for Medicare bulkbilling but stress that meaningful reform requires addressing incentives that currently favour higher volumes of shorter consultations. They argue that managing chronic illness and mental health requires sustained investment in continuity and comprehensiveness of care, which, according to new analysis presented in the article, appear underfunded. They propose structural reform that would see changes to Medicare rebates to better support longer consults, the potential expansion of the Practice Incentives Program, and/or a shift toward blended payment models to strengthen patient-centred primary care.