Better Access to Adult Immunisation

The National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-30 noted that “[m]oving forward, immunisation will need to evolve from a focus on infants and children to vaccinating along the life course – including the need for improved data amongst these cohorts.”

COVID-19 demonstrated the importance of adult vaccinations. The current NIP 2025-30 Strategy review provides the opportunity to set new policy for adult immunisation in Australia. The recent expansion of the shingles vaccine subsidy to include anyone “18 years and over considered at increased risk of herpes zoster due to an underlying condition and/or immunosuppressive treatments”, shows us what is possible. With increased whoopping cough and RSV in the community in 2024, a robust discussion on not only new vaccines but funded access to booster shots is essential

Newborn Screening

On 6 April 2022 Prime Minister Albanese promised to end the postcode lottery and ensure Australia was once again a world leader in newborn bloodspot screening covering at least 80 diseases as per the US.

Two years on and not one new disease has been added nationally to the program.

IT IS THE ULTIMATE IN BROKEN ELECTION PROMISES.

Five babies each day are missing out on a life saving and life changing diagnosis. Now is the time to hold the Government to account and deliver what they promised - lets make this an MBS item and end this tragic loss of life or risk of permanant preventable diasbility.

#100 Days to Access Health Technology

Since 2020 BAA has been asking for a KPI that makes all diagnostics, medicines and devices available for public subsidy or private health insurance on the Prescribed List. #100days.

Right now patients wait an average of #820days for access to a medicine on the PBS and even longer for a diagnostic or device on the MBS.

BAA has proposed a range of savings measures to make this possible - with opportunity comes responsibility.

With the release of the secretive HTA review and accompanying consumer report - the time for action is now to ensure savings priorities also deliver access priorities for patients across all medical technology.

Disability Services

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a once in a generation reform. But its costs are unsustainable.

In order to realise its full potential for people with disabilities and ensure the programs sustainability, ongoing reform and policy advocacy is required.

BAA supports co-payments and means testing to make the system accessible to more people and conditions but recognising that not everyone needs the same level of subsidy. We encourage safety nets and prioritisation of services that can be claimed under the program to ensure we help all that need support under the program.

Private Healthcare

Better Access Australia acknowledges the intrinsic role that private healthcare plays in the Australian system.

We have a 1970s PHI system that fails to recognise that the majority of families have massive out of pocket costs in the primary care sector. Specialist care is mostly accessed outside of hospital and yet families cannot access insurance to protect against these massive out of pocket costs in a cost of living crisis. Models for mental healthcare show what is possible. Time to see PHI as an essential part of our healthcare.

When our pets can get better insurance than we can - there’s something wrong in Australia