'No one teaches you how it works': Medicare a mystery for many

Key Points

• Medicare is turning 40 this year, and to celebrate, the government has launched a special commemorative card.
• Peak bodies representing healthcare consumers and medical professionals say the government should fund a public education program about Australia's healthcare system.
• Last year, the proportion of people who delayed or did not see a GP because of the cost rose to 30 per cent, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.