New national data confirms a system under pressure, where cost is now the biggest barrier to care.
- 81.6% satisfied with quality
- 49.8% missed needed care
- only 32.3% confident they can afford care
New findings from the Consumers Health Forum of Australia’s 2025 National Consumer Sentiment Survey show a clear pattern. People trust the quality of care, 81.6% report being satisfied. Cost is now the defining barrier, from dental care to prescriptions to treatment, with 49.8% surveyed not getting the care they needed in the past year.
Nearly 49.8% missed out on care they needed and for these consumers, cost was the
main barrier. This was especially the case for dental care (67.0%), prescriptions (54.2%), and treatments
(48.7%)
CHF National Consumer Sentiment Survey 2025
This aligns with what we see every day at the Health Consumers’ Council WA. Patients, carers, people making difficult choices about their care be that delaying appointments, skipping follow-ups, going without treatment.
When cost becomes a barrier, access is no longer fair. People on lower incomes, those with ongoing health needs, chronic conditions, older people, and people living outside metro areas are often affected first and hit the hardest. Considering the report states 61.7% reported living with at least one chronic condition, this is no small issue.
This has flow-on effects. When primary care is harder to access, people wait longer, conditions worsen, pressure builds elsewhere in the system. The report identifies financial stress as the strongest predictor of poorer health outcomes.
We are alert to the possibility of a snowball effect that may be coming – when we consider our communities facing rising costs across the board, petrol, groceries, insurance. In the current economic climate there is little relief on the horizon for the average patient, carer, health consumer.
Affordability is also not just about price. It is about being able to make informed decisions – and that includes decisions about how much we will be spending.
HCCWA’s current policy positions align strongly with the CHF findings as we advocate for
- pricing transparency and educate patients, carers and consumers on informed financial consent
- healthcare access and equity centred in all we do
- consumer voices in healthcare policy decisions
We welcome yesterday’s announcement of the inquiry into access and affordability of medical specialists to examine how the system is working, where barriers exist, and what reforms or new models of care could improve access and affordability for patients across Australia.
We call on WA politicians and decision makers to focus efforts on making healthcare fair and make change on three fronts:
- Listen to consumer experiences and understand their importance as early warning signs of system pressure
- Help Western Australians access and understand informed financial consent and information about the cost of their care
- Provide access to independent healthcare advocates to ensure no Western Australian is left to feel lost in the system
If we want a health system that works for everyone, we need to make sure people can afford to use it. Right now, too many cannot.