'The idea of a $20 billion medical research endowment fund being financed by new imposts on the sick will seem dark farce to the many health consumers already struggling with rising out of pocket health costs.' CHF CEO Adam Stankevicius on medical research and priorities for the Federal Health Budget.

'Few would argue that Australia’s health system faces extraordinary cost challenges if we are to maintain any pretence of a universal health scheme.' CHF's CEO Adam Stankevicius on the health budget debate.

"There seems to be a blind spot in Australia when it comes to public awareness of the availability of care for those who need it but often can’t afford it." In this blog the Consumers Health Forum’s Mark Metherell talks about the proposed co-payment for bulk-billed GP visits, and the impact of health costs for consumers - particularly those with serious or chronic illness.

'Australians by now should have grown accustomed to having one of the fattest populations on earth so, in one sense, the fat phenomenon is no novelty.' In this blog published on Croakey, Mark Metherell, the Consumers Health Forum’s Communication Manager, talks about the latest National Health Performance Authority’s report on rates of smoking and obesity and how Medicare Locals can use the rates in their region to improve health outcomes.

Mark Metherell, the Consumers Health Forum of Australia's (CHF) Communications Manager kicks off the OurHealth blog with an inside look into last month's out of pocket cost campaign launched by CHF. Metherell sheds light on the compelling reasons that led CHF to raise awareness and call for action on out of pocket costs. Why is this an important issue? What's the affect on health and wellbeing? What was the media reaction?

Mark Metherell, the Consumers Health Forum’s Communication Manager, dissects the recent Council of Australian Government’s Reform Council report on how well our health system is performing.

Stark evidence about the need to address health inequalities is revealed in the latest report from the National Health Performance Authority, according to Carol Bennett, CEO of the Consumers Health Forum. In this article published on Croakey today, she suggests that the report’s findings add weight to arguments for a greater focus on strengthening primary healthcare.