Australia's Health System
Australia's health system is a mixture of public and private services involving all tiers of government. For example:
The Commonwealth government funds medical services through the Medicare system, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, health services to veterans and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders along with a range of other national health programs;
The State and Territory governments regulate the public health system including public hospitals, mental health services, dental health services, community health centres, infant health centres and ambulance services.
The State and Territory governments also manage certain compensation schemes which come into play in the event of either workplace of traffic accidents. These schemes are funded by compulsory employer contributions in the case of the workplace scheme or the requirement for compulsory third party insurance which is attached to motor vehicle registration in respect of traffic accidents.
The aim of Australia's health care system is to provide access to health services for all Australians at an affordable cost or at no cost. It also provides choices for those who wish to access private health care.
Private health insurance is not compulsory but the Commonwealth government offers incentives to those who take out private cover. The premiums for private health insurance vary depending upon the State or Territory in which you live, the type of coverage required and the number of persons being insured.
There are both public and private hospitals in Australia. In the event of an accident requiring ambulance transport, a patient would be taken to the emergency department of one of the large public hospitals. Most public hospitals have waiting lists for elective surgery.
Some medical practitioners will bulk bill meaning that the patient is only charged the scheduled fee for the service and the practitioner will claim it directly from Medicare meaning that the patient does not pay at all. Other practitioners require payment at the time of consultation and then the patient obtains a reimbursement from Medicare. If a practitioner charges above the scheduled fee, the patient will be out of pocket the difference between the scheduled fee and what the practitioner actually charged.
Most common prescription items are included on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which means they are subsidised by the Commonwealth government greatly reducing the cost of prescriptions. If an item is not on the Scheme the cost to the consumer can be prohibitive.
Medical practitioners in Australia are rigorously trained and international medical practitioners wishing to register to work in Australia must meet certain very high standards.
Medical care in major cities and regional areas is far superior to the services available in remote areas. This is mainly because of the difficulty in attracting practitioners to and keeping them in remote areas.
The health system in Australia certainly has its flaws and endless amounts of money could be channeled into it. However, overall, the system meets its objective of providing world class affordable health care to all.
