Ronald McDonald House Charities Australia (RMHC) welcomes the focus on affordable healthcare in tonight’s 2024-25 Federal Budget, with significant investments for Medicare bulk-billing and cheaper medicines as well as additional funding for Australia’s public hospitals and an expansion of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
CEO of RMHC, Barbara Ryan, said she was encouraged by the Government’s focus on health in this year’s Budget.
“Investments such as these are critical to ensuring Australians can access the healthcare they need at an affordable price and help to bridge the gaps in health outcomes”.
While disappointed about the lack of direct funding in the Budget for RMHC’s six essential infrastructure projects, which RMHC had sought funding for in its pre-budget submission, the charity remains optimistic.
“We will continue to pursue support for these important projects, which would enable the delivery of essential health infrastructure to meet the growing demand of families in need, bringing wide-ranging social and economic benefits, including reducing financial burden on families, improving the health outcomes of sick children, supporting the wellbeing and cohesion of their families, and boosting local jobs,” she continued.
“Our houses across Australia are currently experiencing increased demand as the population grows and families face growing financial pressures due to the cost-of-living crisis, which means each day families in desperate need are being turned away.
“I look forward to working with the Government to ensure that families, irrespective of geography and financial circumstance, can access family-centred medical care when they need it the most,” she concluded.