Meeting our health and
aged care needs

In 2005-06 the Government will spend $45 billion on health and aged care, up from $20 billion when the Government came to office.

This spending includes an increased emphasis on major health priorities to ensure Australians can access the best health care when they need it.

Through the Strengthening Cancer Care initiative, the Government is spending $196 million to introduce new cancer screening programmes and awareness campaigns, and a range of coordinated measures that tackle treatment, research and support for patients, families and carers.

In making dementia a National Health Priority, the Government will invest $321 million over five years in early intervention, additional care services and carer training to improve significantly the quality of life for people with dementia.

The Government is providing $208 million to assist carers of senior Australians with more financial help and better access to respite care.

This will further the Government’s commitment to ensuring carers receive the recognition, reward and support needed to enable them to continue caring for older Australians at home and in the community.

In addition, the Government will provide $79 million to improve access to health services for veterans.

These new initiatives build on the substantial investment in health made since the last budget, including:

• making GP services more affordable by increasing the Medicare rebate to 100 per cent of the schedule fee at a cost of $2.3 billion over five years
• improving access to GPs by investing in after-hours GP services
• improving the affordability of private health insurance by increasing the rebate for older Australians
• providing more residential aged care places and improving care in nursing homes.