Rural health 'short-changed'

RURAL Australians are being short-changed to the tune of at least $2.1 billion -- and the gap with their city cousins is getting wider.

RURAL Australians are being short-changed to the tune of at least $2.1 billion every year in terms of how much public money is spent on their health - and the gap with their city cousins is getting wider.

New data shows Medicare paid out at least $670 million less in rural Australia in 2006-07 for GP and other primary health services than it would have done had the bush received the same level of services per person as in the cities.

The figures, compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the National Rural Health Alliance, show that, on top of this, there was a $500m underspend in rural areas on the PBS, and at least a $1bn shortfall on dental and allied health.

The new figures also show the per capita Medicare gap between the bush and the cities widened by about 10 per cent between 2001 and 2007.

The deficit in primary care services in the bush meant rural residents were more likely to end up in hospital, and had higher rates of admission -- costing the public purse $830m extra in 2006-07.

Overall, the report found that in 2006-07 rural Australians missed out on 25 million services from doctors, diagnostic tests and PBS prescriptions -- equivalent to more than 3.5 services and scripts for every rural man, woman and child.

Jenny May, chairwoman of the National Rural Health Alliance, which commissioned the AIHW report, said the rural deficit in health services "cannot be allowed to continue".