Context of the problemThe accessibility and cost of medicines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remains an important factor when it comes to achieving health equality across Australia. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) spending for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is around half that of the non-Indigenous average, despite the level of disease being three times higher among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Torres. In July 2010, the Closing The Gap (CTG) PBS co-payment measure was introduced by the Australian Government in response to the disparity in disease rates within the Australian population (Australian Government Department of Health, 2013) . The primary objective was to reduce or remove the co-payment for PBS medicines for eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients who are affected by or at risk of chronic diseases. However, recent developments in co-payment measures have proposed the revival of co-payment. the Hawk government's 1991 budget measure. This means that a “modest” co-payment, of around $6, will be imposed for non-referred Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) GP visits (Australian Center for Health Research, 2013). This proposed $6 co-payment would save the federal government $70 million over four years. However, many health and social work professionals ask “at what cost?” Dr Beaumont told the ABC that if co-payments were imposed on indigenous people it would have drastic effects - there is no doubt that "the dollar amount would be enough". to keep people away from very important services, especially for chronic illnesses” (La Canna, 2013). Although the proposed co-payment measure for GP visits proposes that indigenous people are...... middle of paper..... .participants decide not to undertake care (Manning and Newhouse et al., 1987, pp. 251-277). These findings further reinforce Dr. Beaumont's concerns that co-payments discourage people from seeking a range of health care services, including services for chronic conditions. The controversial and sensitive issue of patients missing or receiving delayed treatment for significant acute and chronic illnesses due to co-payment measures is important enough for health care and social work professionals to oppose such a proposal . Despite the eligibility of some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to waive co-payment and empowerment of health and social work, the issue of careful monitoring and risk management, particularly in this which concerns patients deciding to forgo essential services of the general practitioner, will ultimately fall to the responsibility of the patient.