Feel free to critique

[Diuretic]

Medicare ensures that all Australians have access to free or low-cost medical, optometrical and hospital care while being free to choose private health services and in special circumstances allied health services.

Medicare provides access to:
free treatment as a public (Medicare) patient in a public hospital
free or subsidised treatment by practitioners such as doctors, including specialists, participating optometrists or dentists (specified services only)

Australia’s public hospital system is jointly funded by the Australian Government and state and territory governments and is administered by state and territory health departments.

Medicare enrolments and medical benefit payments are administered by Medicare Australia through its network of Medicare offices and other information claiming services.

Your contribution to the health care system is based on your income and is made through taxes and the Medicare levy

About Medicare - Medicare Australia


The Medicare levy is currently 1.5% of taxable income.

What is the Medicare levy?

It's not perfect but I reckon it's pretty good. I'd be interested to read critiques.

 

[Old Rocks]

Interesting, especially the reciprocal arrangements with other politically advanced nations. 1.5% is pretty small, considering that my employer pays over 10% of my straight time pay for the medical insurance for my wife and I.

 

[Diuretic]

At the moment the federal government is looking at some plans to make the system more effective. Unfortunately the funding of hospitals (under our system the federal government gives funds to the states and territories to run public hospitals) was reduced under the previous conservative government. As I wrote, our system isn't perfect and I wouldn't want anyone to think it was. However its aims and coverage are worthy and no government of any political persuasion would dare dismantle it.

 

[Old Rocks]

Well, I just hope we can get the start of a real sytem here in the states this year. I see too many children here now, in this economic downturn, that should be seeing a doctor for preventive care, but cannot because of the lack of money.