The senior doctors' union says $200 million more a year should be spent on public health to enable it to meet growing needs.
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says there's a prevailing view in the government that the rate of increase in spending on public health is unsustainable.
But its executive director, Ian Powell, health funding has been falling as a proportion of gross domestic product (GDP) and health needs higher funding increases.
"In order to keep pace and to cope with the effects of an ageing population, and increased poverty in the community and increased government expectations we could be talking about $200 million extra a year."
Health Minister Tony Ryall said the Government has invested heavily on health in tight times and operational spending had increased by 24 percent over the past six years.
