Vitamin link to combatting Alzheimer's

Dan Harrison B-vitamins could prevent Alzheimer's disease by reducing the loss of grey matter in vulnerable regions of the brain, researchers have found.

Patients missing out on medication, say drug companies

Dan Harrison Drug companies have accused the Gillard government of denying patients the latest medicines, with the number of new medicines being added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme at a 20-year low.

Health insurance uptake highest in 25 years

Dan Harrison Australians are taking out private health insurance at the highest rate in 25 years, despite the means testing of the private health insurance rebate.

Private health rates continue to rise

Dan Harrison Australians are taking out private health insurance at the highest rate in 25 years, despite the means testing of the private health insurance rebate.

Plibersek considers blocking NT rehab centre over safety concerns

Dan Harrison The Gillard government has sought legal advice over whether it could block a Northern Territory government plan to transform a federally funded health building to a secure facility where problem...

Sophie's candid camera and pluck moves Gillard to tears

Dan Harrison She is the girl that brought the Prime Minister to tears. Twelve-year-old Sophie met Julia Gillard when she announced her plan to increase the Medicare levy to help pay for DisabilityCare.

Rate of bulk billing hits record high

Dan Harrison The proportion of GP visits being bulk-billed has hit a record high, with 82.4 per cent of GP services in the first three months of the year provided at no cost to the patient.

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Macklin takes reassuring line on funding for autism

Kathryn Wicks and Dan Harrison DisabilityCare will cover ''most'' people with autism and could pay the full cost of early intervention programs, Disability Reform Minister Jenny Macklin has said in the latest clue as to what the...

Scheme will cover cost of autism treatment

Kathryn Wicks, Dan Harrison The national disability insurance scheme will cover ''most'' people with autism and could pay the full cost of early intervention programs, Disability Reform Minister Jenny Macklin has declared in...

Australian children among the sleepiest

Dan Harrison Sleepiness is holding Australian schoolchildren back in the international education race, a study suggests.

Sleepy students fail global learning race

Dan Harrison Sleepiness may be holding Australian schoolchildren back in the international education race.

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Death wishes to go on electronic record

Dan Harrison People will soon be able to record their dying wishes, such as whether they want to be resuscitated or kept alive by a life support system, on their electronic health record.

Campbell set to sign up for NDIS

Dan Harrison Queensland could sign up to the National Disability Insurance Scheme as early as Wednesday after Premier Campbell Newman said he saw ''no impediment'' to his state's participation.

Green light for the NDIS as Abbott comes to the party

Mark Kenny, Dan Harrison Tony Abbott has abandoned his principled opposition to new taxes to clear the way for a historic parliamentary approval of a national disability insurance scheme, funded by a special 0.

Cruellest cut as older sufferers miss out on scheme

Dan Harrison, Thomas O'byrne Despite suffering from multiple sclerosis, Judith Harris will not benefit from the NDIS.

Both sides vow to pass funding bill

Mark Kenny, Dan Harrison Tony Abbott abandons his principled opposition to new taxes to clear the way for NDIS.

Introduce levy now: advocates

Dan Harrison Disability advocates urge MPs to secure future of NDIS by passing legislation for a levy before the election.

PM's challenge to Abbott on disability scheme

Richard Willingham, Jonathan Swan, Dan Harrison Prime Minister Julia Gillard has made the funding of the long-awaited disability insurance scheme a major election issue by announcing that a new levy to fund the program would be put to the...

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Nile calls for black and white choice for voters

Heath Aston, Dan Harrison Christian groups, led by the Reverend Fred Nile, are calling for an election day referendum on gay marriage, saying Australians will reject any change to the status quo.

Christian groups welcome gay marriage referendum

Heath Aston and Dan Harrison Christian groups want a referendum on gay marriage, saying Australians will reject any change to the status quo if the question posed was a ''black and white'' choice on whether to allow...