Medicare claims have surged in Victoria and NSW over a decade, as patients demand more services, more often.

Nationally, Australians are now making 1 million claims a day as 21 million patients accessed 368 million services on the Medicare Benefit Schedule last financial year.

The federal government is using the ballooning benefit figures to justify its review of the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Credit:Peter Braig

According to statistics from Medicare, there were 1 million new patients in NSW and in Victoria who claimed Medicare benefits in 2014-15 compared with 2004-05.

In NSW 5,968,487 patients accessed Medicare a decade ago, compared with 6,958,876 last financial year. Victoria had 4,416,467 patients being subsidised a decade ago, compared with 5,397,867 last financial year.