New Lung Foundation Australia findings have highlighted cost of living pressures impacting people with a lung disease.
Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke said higher costs faced by the one in three Australians living with a lung disease and lung cancer were poorly understood when it came to recognising and alleviating cost of living pressures.
“With GP and specialist visits, medicines and medical equipment, people living with a lung disease are hit with added money burdens at the best of times,” he said.
“Lung Foundation Australia’s 2024 survey, undertaken to form part of our submission to the Federal Government’s Cost of Living select committee, found more than 80 per cent of people with a lung disease are impacted by cost-of-living pressures and more than 75 per cent have increased out-of-pocket costs for their health care or medicines.
“This has cascaded into our lung disease community members being forced to cancel or delay GP and specialist appointments they can’t afford,” Mr Brooke said.
“Perhaps most disturbingly, 28 per cent have had to go into debt or dip into their savings to be able to buy the medicine they need.
“The stress caused by the cost-of-living pressures is hugely worrying – we don’t want people to be forced to choose between buying medicine and buying food.
“We commend the Government’s commitment to increase bulk billing incentive payments and initiatives such as the 60-day prescription program; and expect to see the benefits increasingly reduce out of pocket costs for medicines and medical appointments for Australians, but more needs to be done now to help alleviate current pressures for those living with a lung disease.
“Lung Foundation Australia is calling for immediate investment in an evidence-based telehealth respiratory care program which is free to patients and sustained funding for telehealth options for initial specialist consultations currently being considered as part of the MBS Continuous Review process.”
“Initiatives like these will enable more Australians to access quality support and information in a timely and affordable way, and could save loved ones from gambling on their health outcomes because of a purely financial decision.
Initial findings, and quotes provided by people living with a lung disease through the Lung Foundation Australia survey include:
More than 80 per cent of people with a lung disease are impacted by the cost-of-living pressures.
More than 75 per cent said out-of-pocket costs for health care or medicines had increased over the past year.
Thirty per cent had cancelled or delayed a GP appointment, while 24 per cent had cancelled or delayed specialist appointments for their lung condition.
Twenty-eight per cent had used savings, gone into debt, or sought money through other means to be able to purchase their medicines/medical equipment.
Respondent quotes: “I am as anxious about being able to afford my medical costs as I am about the results of the scans.”
“Most of the medication is expensive and I have to decide whether or not to spend the money on it or food.”
“Trying to “live” is hard work even… without the added pressure of the cost of living. As my doctors have said, stress and lung disease don’t go well together.”
The full Lung Foundation Australia submission to the Select Committee on Cost of Living can be found here.
For media enquiries please contact:
Lung Foundation Australia
Media and Communications Specialist
Anna Hilton
0408 191 192