Australian Healthcare System

Ever wondered how it works when we get sick or need medical help? In Australia, we’re looked after by a healthcare system that has two parts. The public part, run by the government through Medicare, is paid for by our taxes.

When someone like Alison, for instance, gets sick and needs to see a doctor or a specialist, get medical tests like X-rays or blood tests, take prescription medicines or be treated in a public hospital, our tax money helps pay for it.

There’re a few things to remember about public health in Medicare. Alison won’t pay anything to go to a public hospital but she won’t get to choose which hospital or which doctors treat her. She might have to go on the hospital waiting list and wait a while for a treatment, although if it’s an emergency she would be treated straight away.

Medicare doesn’t usually cover the full cost of doctors’ visits, tests and prescription medicines. So Alison might have to pay some money towards them. The private or non-government part of the health system is made up of private hospitals, health insurance companies and other health providers like dentists.

If someone like Ray here gets sick, and wants or need things like treatment in a private hospital, ambulance trips, dentistry, eye glasses, and treatments like physio and acupuncture. He can get them through the private health system and pay for them by himself or get private health insurance to help cover the cost.

There are some things to remember about the private health system too. Ray won’t have to wait on a public hospital waiting list. He can choose which hospital, and which doctors treat him and he may get his own room. While Medicare will pay part of Ray’s doctors’ bills. He will have to pay for everything else.

If he joins a health insurance fund to help pay for his treatment, he might have to wait a while before he’s covered. That’s called a waiting period. So, that’s how it goes. The public health system provides a basic level of healthcare. Our taxes pay for some or all of it and there can be waiting lists for public hospitals.

The private health system provides things that public health system doesn’t. There’s no public hospital waiting list, but you can pay for things yourself or through private health insurance. That’s it for now. Look after yourself. We’ll see you around.