Healthcare in australia for foreigners

Health care in Australia operates under a shared public-private model underpinned by the Medicare system, the national single-payer funding model.

State and territory governments operate public health facilities where eligible patients receive care free of charge. Primary health services, such as GP clinics, are privately owned in most situations, but attract Medicare rebates.

Australian healthcare system strengths and weaknesses

Australian citizens, permanent residents, and some visitors and visa holders are eligible for health services under the Medicare system. Individuals are encouraged through tax surcharges to purchase health insurance to cover services offered in the private sector, and further fund health care.^[1][2]

In 1999, the Howard government introduced the private health insurance rebate scheme, under which the government contributed up to 30% of the private health insurance premium of people covered by Medicare.

Including these rebates, Medicare is the

how is the health system funded in australia

how is australian healthcare funded