One in five people aged over 15 delayed or avoided seeing a GP in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie due to cost - a 211 per cent rise in four years, new research shows. Login or signup to continue reading People aged over 65, couples with dependent children and those on low incomes were most affected. An even worse problem was those who did not see a specialist or dentist due to cost, with 27 per cent of people affected.
This represented a rise of 240 per cent since 2020. The NSW Council of Social Services [NCOSS] released the data on Wednesday in a report that found healthcare was "out of reach for too many people". The report called on federal and state governments to "improve affordability and out-of-pocket healthcare costs", particularly for the vulnerable.
NCOSS chief executive Cara Varian said "this report illustrates that the health system is broken". "When people can't afford the most fundamental medical care, it leads to bad health outcomes and puts pressure on hospitals ," Ms Varian said. She called for healthcare access and availability to be boosted in regional areas, with "targeted support" to the worst affected groups.
Dr Max Mollenkopf, of Whitebridge Medical Centre, said the federal government had not "kept up with GP costs " for many years due to stagnant Medicare rebates. "Those who can afford to see a GP receive care and those who can't are left in the lurch and get sicker. They're having to turn to other places such as emergency departments.
"They're missing ou.
