Senate to grill audit chiefs on health rebate and negative gearing

Dan Harrison Senators plan to question the Abbott government's commissioners of audit on proposals to slaughter the political ''sacred cows'' of the private health insurance rebate and the negative gearing tax...

GPs oppose insurers covering cost of visits for fear of switching

Dan Harrison Doctors have expressed concern that proposals to allow private insurers to pay for GP visits might encourage people to change doctors, undermining continuity of care.

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Liberal MP Warren Entsch attacks Cory Bernardi on 'gay obsession'

Dan Harrison Liberal MP Warren Entsch has launched an extraordinary attack on Cory Bernardi, saying he is worried by his colleague's ''obsession'' with gay people.

Kay Patterson: Public needs education to stop blow-out in healthcare

Dan Harrison Former Liberal health minister Kay Patterson says people must be educated about the cost of health services they use, warning the government faces tough choices as the health budget comes under...

Health minister Peter Dutton says Medicare spending unsustainable

Dan Harrison Health Minister Peter Dutton has predicted an overhaul of Medicare, saying spiralling costs will make the system ''unmanageable'' without change.

Medicare dental scheme: millions of children to benefit

Dan Harrison More than 3 million children will be eligible for Medicare-funded dental care under a scheme starting on Wednesday.

Scott Morrison seeks asylum from media's questioning on boat arrivals

Dan Harrison, Gareth Hutchens Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has stopped holding weekly news conferences on asylum seeker boat arrivals, instead issuing a written statement with no opportunity for journalists to ask...

Medicare Locals need overhaul: AMA

Dan Harrison Australian Medical Association calls for overhaul of Medicare Locals, the 61 organisations set up to plan and co-ordinate primary care.

We'll keep getting married until it sticks: High Court strikes down ACT gay marriage law

Dan Harrison The marriage of Canberra couple Narell Majic and Ash Watson was so fresh they had not even received their wedding rings, which were not ready in time for the ceremony on Tuesday.

Death rate determined by where you live

Dan Harrison A baby born on Wednesday in Hunters Hill can expect to live two years longer than one born in Bankstown, according to data to be released on Thursday.

Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia in administration after Tony Abbott cuts

Dan Harrison One of the nation's oldest health organisations has been placed in voluntary administration after its funding was cut by the government.

Adrian Piccoli vows to hold Pyne to Gonski school funding deal

Josephine Tovey, Dan Harrison The NSW government has warned the Commonwealth it will not support any dismantling of the Gonski school funding model.

Call to raise pension age to 70

Dan Harrison Unions and seniors groups have reacted angrily to a call from an influential policy advisory body to the Abbott government to lift the pension age to 70.

Survey shows millions of Australians are putting off visits to the doctor or dentist because of the cost

Dan Harrison Millions of Australians put off seeing the doctor or dentist last year because of cost, new figures show.

National Disability Insurance Scheme could cost billions more than expected

Dan Harrison The National Disability Insurance Scheme could cost billions more than expected, after the cost of the first support plans blew out by almost a third.

Indigenous arts faces bleak future after funding cut

Dan Harrison Lizz Bott was on a high. The chief executive of Merrepen Arts, an Aboriginal arts centre in the community of Nauiyu, 220 kilometres south-west of Darwin, was buoyant after seeing television images of...

Ex-priest Kevin Lee dies in Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines

Dan Harrison An Australian man removed from the priesthood for secretly marrying has been killed by typhoon Haiyan just weeks after becoming a father.

Australian Kevin Lee, ex-priest, dies in Typhoon Haiyan

Dan Harrison An Australian man has been confirmed as among those killed by Typhoon Haiyan.

NSW leads way in reducing hospital admissions

Dan Harrison Some NSW hospitals are the slowest in the country to discharge patients with certain conditions, but the state is leading the nation in reducing avoidable hospital admissions.

Doctor charged Medicare for treating 500 patients in one day

Dan Harrison One doctor billed the taxpayer for seeing more than 500 patients in a single day, and more than 200 patients on several other days, according to the Medicare watchdog.