With increasing technological innovations in neuroscience, the field of neuroethics grows in relevance - especially when it comes to informing applications and policy.
Desperate families are increasingly turning to crowdfunding campaigns to raise tens of thousands of dollars for surgery and other medical expenses.
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Louisa Collins, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
It is perfectly legal for a doctor working in private practice to charge what they believe is fair and reasonable. But that doesn’t mean it’s OK to charge tens of thousands of dollars for a procedure.
President Cyril Ramaphosa must prioritise evidence-based policy making.
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While the majority of aged care funding comes from government, residents also have to contribute. Here’s how the payment system works.
Labor has promised A$8 billion in new health expenditure, while the Coalition has focused on the difference new pharmaceuticals can make to individual Australians.
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Emil Jeyaratnam, The Conversation e Andrew Donegan, The Conversation
The aged care royal commission begins hearing evidence today about the quality of care in nursing homes. These 10 charts show how the current system works and the challenges it faces.
Forgoing dental care causes more pain and costly treatments down the longer term.
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Medicare is a vote-changer. The Coalition learnt this in the 2016 federal election campaign and has since guaranteed its commitment to the program. But that may not avert a Mediscare 2.0.
Labor has committed to increase bulk billing for a number of Medicare items for cancer care.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
Health has taken centre stage of the election campaign. Here’s what you need to know to make sense of the claims (and counter claims) of the major parties so far.
The Coalition’s record on health is patchy, at best. Meanwhile, Labor is already campaigning hard on Medicare.
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Fron Jackson-Webb, The Conversation e Emil Jeyaratnam, The Conversation
This week the aged care royal commission heard evidence of long waits for home care, poorly trained staff and high fees. These 10 charts explain how the system works and why it’s under such pressure.
For some people, high out-of-pocket costs makes it difficult to see a doctor or fill a prescription.
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Seeking and making sense of specialist fees is an unfair burden to place on vulnerable patients. A website might be helpful for some – but health professionals need to be held to higher account.
The number of Medicare claims Australians make in a year doubled between 1984 and 2018.
By Sopotnick
Jane Hall, University of Technology Sydney e Kees Van Gool, University of Technology Sydney
Paying doctors a fee for each service they provide isn’t delivering optimal value for the health dollar. Instead, we should pay doctors a lump sum to care for a patient’s medical problem over time.
Premium subsidies encourage Australians to take out and keep private health insurance.
Subsidies for private health insurance premiums cost the government over A$6 billion a year. Is it time to scrap the rebate and redirect these funds elsewhere in the health system?
The funding proposal is no fix for Australia’s health system but it could take some political pressure off the Coalition in the lead up to the 2019 federal election.
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Each year, inspectors visit Australian hospitals. But they’re less like secret shoppers who identify flaws, and more like guests of a carefully orchestrated performance. This needs to change.
High fees are prohibitive for many people who need to see a specialist.
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Yes, doctors’ fees should be transparent, but that requirement alone doesn’t go far enough to combat “bill shock”. Specialists should also be required to set fees that are “fair and reasonable”.
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne