Health
Australia ranks as one of the top nations in the world for healthy life expectancy and health expenditure per person.
The Health System is a mixture of public and private sector health service providers and a range of funding and regulatory mechanisms. About 70% of all health expenditure is funded by government, with the Australian Government contributing two-thirds of this, and state, territory and municipal governments the balance.
Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme cover all Australians citizens and permanent residents and subsidises their payments for private medical services and for a high proportion of prescription medicines. Under Medicare, the Australian and State governments also jointly fund public hospital services so they are provided free of charge to people who choose to be treated as public patients.
Permanent residents make their contribution to the health care system through taxes and the Medicare Levy based on their income, and can elect to privately fund health care by taking up private health insurance for which the government provides a 30% rebate.
People who live in Australia under a business sponsored temporary Visa are not covered by Medicare. Special private health cover that is specially designed for temporary Visa holders is available at a cost similar to the combined cost of the Medicare Levy and Private Health care.
The aim of the national health care funding system is to give all Australians, regardless of their personal circumstances, access to health care at an affordable cost or at no cost, while allowing choice for individuals through substantial private sector involvement in delivery and financing