Budget 18: the view for aged care, health

AGE CARE & HEALTH - WHAT TO EXPECTED IN THE BUDGET

* More reforms to home care packages for older Australians, after coalition foreshadowed further changes in response to recommendations of two major reviews.

* More than 100,000 people were waiting for a home care package as of December. Advocates want more level 3 and level 4 packages.

* A new national independent aged care quality and safety commission will start from January to act as one-stop shop for complaints.

* Health Minister Greg Hunt has pointed to record funding for Medicare in this budget.

* Funding for subsidised 3D breast cancer screenings from November for more than 200,000 women.

* Tens of thousands of men will get Medicare-funded MRI scans for prostate cancer checks.

* Support for dialysis in remote areas and new listing for a spinal surgery.

* Money for new medicine listings on the PBS, including for the treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

* Whooping cough vaccine to be made available to all pregnant women

* More than $80 million has been pledged for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

* Government has already said it's not going ahead with a 0.5 per cent hike in the Medicare levy to help pay for the national disability insurance scheme.