Almost 10% of the Australian population receiving Medicare-subsidized mental health care
Three days after the celebration of the World Mental Health Day on October 10, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) released the report Mental Health Services: In brief 2017.
According to the report, more Australians received Medicare-subsidised mental health care service in 2015 – 2016 than in 2011 – 2012. The data is as follows:
- Number of people who received Medicare-subsidised mental health service
2011 – 2012 1.6 million (7.2% of the population)
2015 – 2016 2.3 million people (9.4% of the Australian population) - Government spending on mental health
2011 – 2012 .9 billion
2015 – 2016 1.1 billion - Subsidized prescription medications
2011 – 2012 24 million
2015 – 2016 36 million
“Overall, 1.8 million people received Medicare-subsidised mental health services from a GP and more than 1 in 10—or 12% of GP consultations were for mental health reasons,” said AIHW spokesperson Matthew James.
“A further $564 million was spent on over 24 million subsidised prescription medications, a decline from $852 million in 2011–12.”
Aside from Medicare-subsidised mental health care, the AIHW also reported the updated data of government-controlled community mental health care services in different states and territories. It noted that the state and territory governments paid for 9.4 million cases of service, costing to $1.9 billion in 2015–16.
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