Medicare Subsidizes New Developmental Screening Program for Three-Year-Olds

Medicare has subsidized a new developmental screening program, known as the Medicare Healthy Kids Check, for hundreds of thousands of three-year-olds across the country. The initiative is part of the Thriving Kids program and involves general practitioners assessing children against typical developmental milestones. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said the move is intended to provide families with cheaper access to medical care to help catch developmental concerns early.

The program aims to identify children who may need support but do not have obvious disabilities, potentially diverting them from the National Disability Insurance Scheme. This initiative changes how early developmental concerns are managed within the health system.