Ancillary and specialist health services: Does Low income limit access?

Australia's public health system currently provides substantial funding to ensure that, among its other objectives, all families have access to hospital, medical and pharmaceutical services irrespective of their incomes. However, most ancillary health services are not similarly subsidised and there is some evidence that low income is a barrier to the use of these services. There is also evidence that low income might reduce access to specialist medical practitioner services which, while funded through Medicare, are less likely to be bulk billed than general practitioner services, and which therefore attract higher out-of-pocket costs. In this study the 1989-90 national health survey is used to examine whether there are indicators that low income reduces access to a range of ancillary services such as physiotherapy, optical services, chiropractic and dental services and specialist medical practitioner services. In addition, the potential impact of the private health insurance rebate on access to ancillary health services is examined.