Strengthening Medicare: Our 8 Favourite Health Reform Numbers From The 2023-24 Budget

Did you find budget night exciting?  All those lovely numbers, ideas and so much goodwill for Australians. We're excited about many of the announcements, and just like the number-obsessed 'Count von Count' from Sesame Street, we have scoured the health budget and collated our favourite 8 numbers that we are most excited about (yes, "8 beautiful reform numbers Ah-Ah-Ah"!) that had us spilling our popcorn all over the couch. 

At Patient Experience Agency, we are all about health reform and moving to a future state of value-based health care delivery, led by improvements to the patient experience. So, forgive us for looking beyond the good, but obvious ones relating to the tripling of Medicare bulk billing, indexing of Medicare payments and the two-for-one pharmacy offer, to those that pave the way for real reform and new ways of working that benefit patients. Let's look at those 8 numbers, lovely numbers....

1. $137.6 billion  
   What for?  That's how much the Australian Government is spending in total on health, aged care and sport in FY24, up a modest 4.2% from $130 million in FY23. 
   Why are we excited?  Because any increase on spending is good in these areas, but more importantly there is investment made into the areas that really need it, like primary health and aged care. 
   
   
2. $10 million
   What for? Funding the Consumer Health Forum.
   Why are we excited?  Because the future vision of health can only be achieved with a diverse range of patients and consumers in the conversation, equitably. 
   
   
3. 3
   Why 3?  The Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon. Mark Butler MP, in his recent pre-budget address to the National Press Club spoke of the 3 foundational areas of change around health reform.
   Why are we excited?  Finally, health care reform is being positioned as a classic transformation journey, that requires change to managed over 3 key change areas - technology, process and people.
   1. Digital systems that drive better care (modernise the platforms & technology)
   2. A stronger Medicare to enable a more multidisciplinary and team-based approach to primary health care (change the process & ways we work)
   3.To grow, support and invest in the incredible health workforce that Australia already has (upskill the people).
   
   
4. $98.2 million
   What for? New Medicare rebates for longer consultations
   Why are we excited?  Notably designed to support those with chronic complex conditions, this is a great step forward for patient experience that recognises value and what matters through the eyes of the patient.
   
   
5. $79.4 million
   What for?  Support for smaller medical practices to complement their teams with the services of Allied Health Professionals
   Why are we excited?  This is one giant step towards a multidisciplinary team approach to health by supporting and funding the operating model around it. But even more importantly, it recognises the care team can include Allied Health.
   
   
6. $46.8 million
   What for? Increased Medicare rebates for care provided by nurse practitioners
   Why are we excited?  In value-based health care there is a term called, "iterating the care journey".  By mapping the journey and looking for ways to improve things through the eyes of the patient, we find ways to improve, just like this one. Patients will have more access to nurses to support and perform some procedures and health plans, and primary care can make greater use of nurse-led models.  Coupled with the initiatives to increase nurses and attract back into healthcare those who have left, it will provide more flexible care delivery, support access in regional and remote areas and deliver better experiences for patients. 
   
   
7. $216.8 million 
   What for? Introduction of MyMedicare
   Why are we excited? When the government is borrowing terminology from the loyalty sector, and referencing 'frequent flyer' system users, it feels like we just might be on the pathway to a more personalised, patient-centric healthcare system underpinned by quality data. MyMedicare conceptually will support wrap-around care and new blended payment models, which put us firmly on the pathway to a value-based health care operating model and pave the way for a transparent, patient-centric health system of the future.  It's also the administrative "egg basket" that will make multidisciplinary team-based working possible.
   
   
8. $951.2 million (yes, a good chunk!)
   What for?  Upgrade and modernise MyHealthRecord; fund the Australian Digital Health Agency
   What does this mean?   So, we saved the biggest, and possibly the most strategically exciting number for last. This one cements our commitment to digital health transformation in the sector which will make it easier for patients and providers to use MyHealthRecord and support the secure, safe and efficient sharing of information.  This will improve health outcomes for patients and reduce duplication in the system. Finally!  Digital transformation of this scale takes time and commitment beyond single election cycles.
   
   While this may open a can of worms about privacy and data security, we will leave you with one final number: $468.8m to modernise ASIS - Australia's overseas spy agency. Let's hope some of that is for spying on data hackers.
   Ah Ah Ah! (in our best Count von Count voice!)
   
   

We could go on, but we are keen to take a different point of view and separate out the long term structural health reform opportunities from the sugar hits that grab headlines and relieve pressure for some.  

So, as we at Patient Experience Agency advocate, and to paraphrase Minister Butler (who actually quoted us first, quite flatteringly!), Strengthening Medicare, and much of the future-focused budget spend in FY24, is really about delivering better experiences and better outcomes for patients in Australia - all 26 million of us.

And that's a number to get excited about.

Need even more numbers?  The budget line items for health and aged care can be found here. 

Further Learning:

Watch our free Kickstarter webinar to understand why multidisciplinary teams will become important to your practice in the near future: Australian Health Reform: What it means for you and your practice.

Further Reading:

Blog: Health reform is coming. Are you ready? 

Blog: Multidisciplinary Teams in Healthcare: What does it all mean?