Health chap 6

• Australia's health system


  public- public hospitals, Medicare, PBS, NDIS+

  Private- private health insurance, private hospitals and private medical practitioners
• medicare 


  medicare is australias universal health insurance scheme. It provides all australian residents, regardless of income, location, and culture access to healthcare that is subsidized by the federal government
• what does medicare cover?

  GP fees

  eye tests

  x rays

  blood tests
• what doesnt medicare cover?

  most dental treatment

  ambulance services

  alternative therapies like chiropractic,
• bulk billing 


  bulk billing is a term used when a service provider like a general practitioner chooses to charge the patient no more than the scheduled fee for their services. the service provider is paid directly by the government.
• out of pocket expenses

  Makung up the difference between the scheduled fee and the actual fee charged
• medicare safety net


  aims to protect those who have a heavy relience on medical services from high out of pocket expenses. Once the out of pocket expenses reach a certain threshold, the Medicare services are charged at a cheaper rate for the remainder of the year.
• how is medicare funded?

  general taxation, medicare levy, medicare levy surcharge
• medicare advantages


  avaliable to all australian citizens

  choice of doctor for out of hospital services
• medicare disadvantages 


  waiting lists for many treatments

  does not cover alternative therapies
• Pharmaceutical benefits scheme


  allows concession card holders to access over 5000 common prescription medications at a significantly reduced rate.
• National disability insurance scheme


  provides services and support to people with permanent significant disabilities, and their families and carers. To be eligible for NDIS, a person must meet age, residency and disability requirements. Funded by federal and state governments
• NDIS


  access to health, housing education

  access to sport clubs and libraries
• private health insurance 


  is an optional additional health insurance which provides coverage for health services not covered by medicare
• private health insurance advantages

  shorter waiting times for medical procedures

  enables access to private hospital care
• private health insurance disadvantages

  policies can be complex and may confuse some people

  costly in terms of the premiums that need to be paid
• the role of australias health system

  funding

  sustainability

  access

  equity
• funding


  money provided, especially by an organization or government for a particular purpose
• sustainability


  the ability to be maintained at a certain level or rate
• access


  the means or opportunity to approach or enter a place
• equity


  the quality of being fair and impartial
• sustainability

  
• funding

  
• access

  
• equity

  
• incentives for private health insurance

  lifetime health cover

  private health insurance rebate- a refund on part of the costs of the insurance premium paid by the federal government

  dont have to pay medicare levy surcharge