The Australian Health Care System

1. The Australian Health Care System

2. Best Australian Health System Australia’s health system is best in the world, providing safe and reasonable health care for all Australians. It is jointly run by all levels of Australian government – federal, state and territory, and local. It provides excellence, safe and inexpensive health care for you and your family. It’s a key reason why they enjoy one of the longest life expectancies in the world.

3. Australia Health Care Providers There are many providers of health care in Australia, including: primary care services delivered by general practitioners (GPs) medical specialists allied health workers nurses Medicare and the public hospital system provide free or low-cost access for all Australians to most of these health care services.

4. Foundation of Health System Medicare — the foundation of Australia’s health system Medicare has been Australia’s universal health care scheme since 1984. It helps Australians with the cost of their health care. Australians make more than 150 million visits to a GP every year. Medicare- public health insurance system- helps pay for these visits. Its 3 major parts are: • medical services • public hospitals • medicines

5. Medicare for Australian Citizens Medicare is available to Australian Citizens, Permanent Residents in Australia It also covers some or all of the costs of other health services. They can also include physiotherapy, community nurses and basic dental services for children

6. Free Health Care Services If you have a Medicare card, you can access a range of health care services for free or at a lower cost, including: medical services by doctors, specialists and other health professionals hospital treatment prescription medicine The other important part of Medicare is the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The PBS makes some prescription medicines cheaper as Australians get medicines at a subsidized rates.

7. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme The PBS helps make medicines cheaper. Without the PBS, medicines would be more expensive. You only pay some of the cost of most PBS medicines if you are enrolled in Medicare. The Australian Government pays the rest.

8. How MedicareWorks When you enroll in Medicare, they pay some or all of the costs of your necessary health care. Keep in mind, Medicare doesn’t pay for all medical services. If your doctor bulk bills, Medicare pays the cost directly to the doctor. This means you won’t have to pay anything. (Not all health professionals do bulk bill). They also help to make some medicines more affordable for you through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

9. Australia Medicare Duties Medicare Levy The Australian government pays for Medicare through the Medicare levy. Working Australians pay the Medicare duty as part of their income tax. Medicare is partially funded by an income tax surcharge - all Australian taxpayers earning over a certain threshold pay a Medicare levy (currently 2 per cent of their taxable income or 2.5 per cent for those on high incomes who don’t have private health insurance. The Medicare duty is collected from you in the same way as income tax. Generally, the pay as you go amount your employer withholds from your salary or wages includes an amount to cover the Medicare charge.

10. Medicare Enrollment under PR Documents to enroll in Medicare if you're a Permanent Resident You can enroll in Medicare if you have a Australia Permanent Resident Visa. You’ll need to give both: A current passport or Immi card Proof of permanent residency from the Department of Home Affairs. They need these for each person you want to enroll. Documents must be original or certified copies. A certified cop is a document an authorized witness has signed as a correct copy. You’ll need to complete a Medicare enrolment form and submit it with your documents at a service centre. Medicare cards are allotted to people registered in Medicare.

11. Usage of Medicare Card When to use the Medicare Card You use your Medicare card when: making a Medicare claim for a paid or unpaid doctor's account visiting a doctor who bulk bills receiving treatment as a public patient in a public hospital filling a Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescription at a pharmacy

12. Medicare Reimbursement Medicare usually Pays the full schedule fee for general practitioner services 85% of the schedule fee for a specialist 75% of the schedule fee for in-hospital services For an example of how this works in practice, a GP might charge $50 for a standard consultation. The Medicare rebate for this is $36.30, leaving a gap of $13.70 for you to pay.

13. General Practitioner’s Fees

14. Medicare Coverage Umbrella Medicare Coverage and Places Where We Can Use It We help to cover the costs for part or all of the following services: seeing a GP (General Practitioner) or specialist tests and scans, like x-rays most surgery and procedures performed by doctors eye tests by optometrists It’s best to bring your valid Medicare card or number with you when you visit a GP or specialist.

15. Out of Reach of Medical Medicare Medicare Doesn’t Cover They don’t pay for things like: ambulance services most dental services glasses, contact lenses and hearing aids Cosmetic surgery.

16. How to use Medicare Seeing a doctor When you’re enrolled in Medicare, it can help pay some or all of the costs of seeing a doctor. If your doctor chooses to bulk bill, it cover the costs and you won’t need to pay at all. If your doctor doesn’t bulk bill, you’ll need to pay either: the full cost the difference between what they charge and what we cover.

17. Medicare Eligibility When You Live Overseas Again After You Enroll If you live overseas again for more than 12 months, you’ll no longer be in Medicare. You’ll need to enroll again when you back Move to Australia. Check your Eligibility for Australian PR

18. Avail Medicare Benefits Claim Medicare Benefits at Your Doctor’s Office The quickest and easiest way to claim is at your doctor’s office straight after you pay. To do this you need to both: be enrolled in Medicare Show your Medicare card

19. Medicare Claim Settlement When you pay at the doctor’s office, ask if they can make an electronic claim for you. If they can, they’ll do it on the spot. They will pay your Medicare benefit into either: • the account for the EFTPOS card you used to pay • The bank account you’ve registered with us.