10 April 2019 - Behind all the political point ­scoring, there is bipartisan acknowledg­ment that something should be done about patients’ out-of-pocket fees. 

he Coalition and Labor have both identified gap fees as a problem, and cancer ser­vices as especially deserving of attention­. However, their proposed solutions differ greatly.

Medicare rebates support Aust­ralia’s universal health system, but out-of-pocket costs vary depending on the specialty, model of service delivery and location.

Patients’ ability to pay is also a factor, directly or indirectly, with Labor voters more likely to be bulk-billed and Liberal voters more likely to be left with gap fees.

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