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ABC News
ABC News
Health
Nick Baker and Annabelle Quince for Rear Vision

Medicare has been under pressure for years. So is it broken and can it be fixed?

Medicare Stephen Duckett Medibank Gough Whitlam John Howard Health Care Labor Bob Hawke Malcolm Fraser Coalition
For decades, Medicare and its predecessor Medibank have been a political flashpoint. (Supplied: Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW and courtesy SEARCH Foundation)

For almost 40 years, Medicare has been the foundation of Australia's health care system.

The universal insurance scheme means, at least in theory, that an Australian's finances should not dictate their ability to access primary care.

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