Nine proposals target fees, travel barriers and Medicare gaps
A Monash University-led coalition is urging federal, state and territory governments to cut the cost of abortion care across Australia, saying fees and access barriers still block care.
On 27 August 2026, the SPHERE Coalition released a roadmap with nine recommendations to reduce out-of-pocket costs and improve access. SPHERE formed in 2020 to advocate for more equitable sexual and reproductive health care in Australia.
People seeking abortion can face costs for consultations, ultrasounds, medications, travel and follow-up care. Costs are often higher for people in rural and regional areas and for people who are not eligible for Medicare.
Among the proposals are more bulk-billing for sexual and reproductive health consultations, no-cost ultrasound services for abortion care, better Medicare rebates for surgical abortion and subsidies for abortion medications.
Further measures include changes to health insurance arrangements for temporary visa holders and state and territory navigation services to help people find suitable care. The roadmap also calls for funding IUD insertion at the time of surgical abortion.
Danielle Mazza cites 2023 Senate inquiry
SPHERE Coalition chair Professor Danielle Mazza AM said the case for reform was underscored by the 2023 Senate Inquiry into Universal Access to Reproductive Healthcare. Mazza heads the Department of General Practice at Monash University.
“Despite abortion being decriminalised across Australia and important reforms in recent years, affordability remains one of the most significant barriers to care,” Professor Mazza said.
She said too many people still face substantial out-of-pocket costs for essential healthcare. She added that cost should not decide whether someone can access timely, high-quality abortion care.
According to Monash University, the recommendations also build on discussions at the National Abortion Affordability Roundtable held in Melbourne earlier in 2026. The National Health and Medical Research Council’s SPHERE Centre of Research Excellence convened that event with Women’s Health Victoria.
Professor Mazza said the recommendations are aligned with the Federal Government’s National Women’s Health Strategy 2020-2030. She said the reforms would particularly help people facing the biggest barriers because of geography, finances or Medicare eligibility.
However, Monash University did not provide costings for the nine measures or say when any government might consider them.
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