If you have cancer, a disease such as diabetes or dementia, or need to manage other complex health conditions, you often need expert care from a specialist doctor.
But as our new Grattan Institute report shows, too many people are forced to choose between long waits in the public system or high costs if they go private.
Governments need to provide more training for specialist doctors in short supply, make smart investments in public clinics, and regulate the extremely high fees a small number of private specialists charge.
