Medicare and Priority Populations: Structural and Place-based Considerations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and LGBTIQ+ Australians

Abstract

The past 40 years of Medicare have seen effective policy for reducing income-related inequities in healthcare use. In this article, we describe how past and current Medicare policies have shaped, and continue to shape, healthcare access for other priority populations—Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and LGBTIQ+ populations. Drawing on empirical evidence, we also document the importance of structural-, place- and demographic-specific nuance when designing and implementing such policies. We conclude by offering recommendations on how Medicare can strive for better and more equitable access for these priority populations over the next 40 years and beyond.