Australians may be putting their health at risk, with alarming new research from Compare the Market’s 2025 Household Budget Barometer finding many have given up, delayed or cut back on crucial health check-ups and appointments in the past 12 months due to cost-of-living pressures.*
Oral hygiene has taken the biggest hit, with 30% of Australians surveyed admitting they had avoided the dentist over the past year.
Compare the Market’s Sarah Orr said the statistic was worrying but not surprising, given how expensive dental visits could be.
“Cost can be a huge barrier when it comes to visiting the dentist and unless you have an extras health insurance policy that helps cover the costs, it can be expensive,” Ms Orr said.
“Unfortunately, Medicare rarely covers dental services. There are state and territory government schemes, but there are often strict criteria you need to meet and lengthy public wait lists. It leaves many stuck between a rock and a hard place, that’s choosing between physical pain or financial drain.”
One in five (20%) Australians surveyed said they’ve postponed or cancelled a GP visit, while a similar number (17%) said they had cancelled or delayed routine health appointments, such as hearing tests, optometrist visits and even cancer tests.
A smaller percentage (6%) said they’d put off an elective surgery.
Younger Australians were more likely to neglect health checks in order to save.
“It’s hard to find bulk-billing GPs but the last thing we want to see is people relying on Dr Google or social media for health needs that require proper medical attention,” Ms Orr said.
“A fifth of Australians told us they had skipped GP visits due to costs.
“A lot of people may not realise a lot of crucial health checks are available for free. These include hearing tests through the Hearing Services Program, eye tests with optometrists that bulk bill and an array of cancer screening programs.
“Before delaying or postponing a check-up, see what support is available.
“Millions of Australians with health insurance may be able to claim dental visits, prescription glasses, elective and other services under their policies.
“If you think you might require certain treatments and services in future, planning ahead and looking for great value cover could save you a financial headache.”
* Survey of 3,006 Australian adults, conducted August 2025.
When referencing the research, please link to the report here.
For more information, please contact:
Phillip Portman | 0437 384 471 | [email protected]
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