Over the past months, we have conducted a survey asking people how the cost of living crisis we are in, is affecting their health.
We heard countless stories of people having to choose between putting food on the table, paying rent, paying their bills and seeking essential healthcare.
People are cancelling appointments, living in ongoing pain and stress. Particularly the survey raised concerns around the affordability and accessibility of mental health care and dental.
“I have had to cancel my psychology appointments entirely due to cost. I need dental care, which is becoming more urgent, that I also cannot afford. I have to choose paying rent, bills and having food to eat over my health concerns.”
We’ve heard from people experiencing low self esteem, living in constant pain or losing teeth because they can’t afford basic dentistry.
We asked for your stories with dental. We were saddened, but not surprised, at the responses we got. Thank you so much to everyone who shared your stories. Dental on Medicare now.
“I also have broken a tooth that requires a reconstruction I cannot afford, so I fill it with temporary filling putty everyday myself and work through the pain. I work two jobs to pay my rent, but it’s getting harder on my health especially without my medication to support me.”
“I am in my 20s and I have already lost two molars due to being unable to access affordable dentistry.”
“I haven’t been to the dentist in a year because I cannot afford it and my mouth looks terrible. My self esteem has suffered.”
“My teeth are a big source of stress & anxiety for me because dental is so expensive, even with some private health cover, I can’t afford the fillings & repair they need.”
In terms of mental healthcare we heard that it’s too hard to get an appointment, it’s too expensive to pay for ongoing care and 10 government funded sessions is not enough.
“Finding a psychologist that I am suited with takes up valuable sessions that are covered by my mental healthcare plan. After they’re used up I was having to pay over $200 per hour, which I did, until I could no longer afford it. This meant I had to stop seeing my counsellor during an extremely difficult life change.”
“My mental health is declining. I’m opting for antidepressants over therapy as it is inaccessible.”
“The mental health plan only covers 10 sessions, and is nowhere near sufficient for the ongoing crisis of living.”
“I’ve been waiting over 12 months for help with my mental health, it’s been tough”
Currently we have a Medicare system and a healthcare funding system that, doesn’t see teeth as part of the human body and one that thinks all mental health conditions can be solved in 10 hour long sessions.
Now, that might be good and well for the government’s budget, but it’s a bit hard to deny for the people living in pain every single day.
“The budget has never fixed my teeth. The budget has never provided me with medication. The budget has never improved my quality of life or ability to work. The government has the money to provide free healthcare but chooses to hoard it for the sake of the budget. Damn your self-gratifying budget.”
Dental and mental healthcare should be completely free. For everyone.
These are things that affect every single person of every age in our state. Poor mental and dental health can affect other areas of peoples health, and people’s lives if left unaddressed and untreated.
“My mental health stops me from participating fully in the workforce, working part-time because I can’t cope with full time work. But, I can’t afford the care & support I need to be able to get back to full participation. It’s a vicious cycle”
“All I want is to be able to get better so I can study and work but I feel like I’ve been completely failed by the government, who have made it abundantly clear through their actions that they don’t care about mental health, no matter how much they say they do.”
In a wealthy country like ours, everyone should be able to afford things like basic healthcare.
Let’s publicly fund mental and dental healthcare so they’re free and accessible to all.
