Hospital Costs Are Soaring — And Governments Can’t Agree Who Should Pay

Australia’s hospitals are under growing pressure — and at the heart of it is a funding fight between Canberra and the states.

As part of The Conversation’s Hospitals in Crisis series, health economist Professor Stephen Duckett has been examining the ongoing tug-of-war over who should foot the bill as hospital costs continue to rise.

Duckett, a professor at the University of Melbourne, recently authored a report for state treasurers unpacking what’s driving those soaring costs — and why governments keep passing responsibility back and forth.

He joined Tina Quinn on 2SER Breakfast to explain why the funding model is under strain, how the federal–state standoff is playing out behind closed doors, and what it means for patients and the future of Australia’s public hospital system.