Many Australians Struggle to Afford Healthcare: Report
31 Mar 2026
The findings come from the 2025 National Consumer Sentiment Survey by the Consumers Health Forum of Australia, which surveyed around 5,000 adults nationwide.
CHF CEO Dr Elizabeth Deveny said the results reveal “the fault line in our health system”: Australians trust the care itself but worry about whether they can pay for it.
- 50.6% of people feel confident they will receive quality care if seriously ill.
- Only 32.3% are confident they could afford it.
- Nearly half (49.8%) reported missing care last year, mostly due to cost.
Dr Tim Senior, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Poverty and Health, said the survey shows funding isn’t reaching those under the most financial stress. While Medicare rebates help, patients may still struggle to afford the full treatment, including specialist care or medications.
The survey also highlighted that:
- 81.6% are satisfied with the quality of care from providers
- 57.1% believe government healthcare spending is too low
- Top priorities for reform: more health workers (66.7%), lower costs (60.2%), better access (43.1%)
On a positive note, GPs remain the most-accessed in-person healthcare providers, with 83.1% of Australians seeing a GP in 2025. Satisfaction with GP care is high at 86.4%, showing people continue to value face-to-face care despite other healthcare options.
Dr Senior said expanding GP training is a good step, but the benefits will take time to reach patients, and targeted funding is needed to ensure healthcare is truly affordable.
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
Source: Consumers Health Forum of Australia, RACGP, newsGP