Australia’s health budget will exceed $132bn for 2022-23, which increased from $62bn for a decade ago due to a rise of healthcare expenditures, the expansion of the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, the Covid-19 response and the addition of $2.3bn over four years for mental health programs.
$31.4bn has been allocated to medicare expenditures which increased from the previous year, reflecting the increased utilization of doctors and telehealth during the pandemic.
While the budget of $4.2bn has been allocated to the COVID-19 response, including the national vaccine rollout program, replenishing the stockpile of personal protective equipment, and purchasing rapid antigen tests for residential aged care and high-risk disability care settings.
For more information, read the full news article originally published in The Guardian.
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