Commonwealth Government Health Budget Bulletin June 2012

28 June 2012 | The Budget announces the beginnings of two key reforms in health - a National Disability Insurance Scheme and the reform of the aged care system. While neither of these are healthcare initiatives, they will directly contribute to the health status of disabled and elderly Australians.

However, they will not constitute true reforms until they are fully and expansively implemented. Meanwhile, other potentially impactful initiatives, including mental health, Indigenous health, bowel cancer screening and public dental health and prevention, limp along with begrudging funding that is not proportional to the magnitude of the problems to be addressed.