AOS2 Flashcards
old public health
government actions that focused on changing the physical environment to prevent the spread of disease, such as providing safe water, sanitation and sewage disposal, improved nutrition, improved housing conditions and better work conditions.
public health
is concerned with the organisation and collective effort of improving the health status for the entire population. it refers particularly to the ways in which government monitor, regulate, and promote health status and prevent disease.
policies and practices of old public health
-the establishment of government-funded water and sewage systems and better sanitation.
-this provided people with clean water to drink and removed garbage and waste from the streets contributing to a reduction in deaths from cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid.
policies and practices of old public health
-the introduction of quarantine laws
-following the bubonic plague which triggered the Commonwealth Quarantine Act implementation in Australia. This prevented the arrival and transmission of infectious diseases from other countries reducing mortality rates.
what is medicare?
medicare is Australia’s universal health insurance scheme. established in 1984, medicare gives all Australian permanent residents and people from countries with a reciprocal agreement access to healthcare that is subsidised by the government.
what does medicare cover?
out-of-hospital expenses include:
-consultation fee for doctors (GP bulk-billed)
-test and examination needed to treat illness such as x-rays
-pathology blood and urine tests
what does medicare not cover?
-any cosmetic or unnecessary procedures
-home nursing care or treatment
-ambulance services
-alternative medicine such as osteopath, chiropractic services.
medicare safety net
provides extra financial assistance for those that icnur significant out of pocket expenses for medicare services, for the remainder of the year once an individual’s contributed a certain amount of their own pocket to medicare services.
how is medicare funded?
the medicare levy- an additional 2% tax placed on the taxable income of most tax payers
the medicare levy surcharge- those without PHS and earning over $90 for singles and $180000 for families have to pay an extra tax. aims to encourage people to take out PHS to reduce demand and financial pressure on the medicare funded public systems.
general taxation
medicare advantages/disadvantages
-choice of doctor out of hospital services
-available to all australia citizens
-reciprocal agreement
-waiting list for treatments
-often does not cover full cost of a doctor’s consultation unless bulk-billed.
PBS
pharmaceutical benefit scheme
-federal’s governments contribution to australia’s health system. aim was to provide medicines to people who needed them regardless of their ability to pay. medicines are now subsidised, and consumers must make a patient co-payment.
NDIS
-national disability insurance scheme
NDIS is a national insurance scheme that provides services and support for people with permanent, significant disabilities and their families and carers.
-works to assist individuals with disabilities to live an ordinary life.
PHS
-private health insurance is a type of insurance under which members pay a premium fee in return for payment towards health-related costs not covered by Medicare.
PHS incentives
-medicare levy surcharge- People earning more than $90000 a year ($180000 for families) pay an extra tax as a Medicare levy surcharge if they do not purchase private health insurance. Encouraging high income earners to take out private health insurance.
-lifetime Health Cover- People who take up private insurance after the age of 31 pay an extra 2 per cent on their premiums for every year they are over the age of 30. This encourages younger people to take up private health insurance and keep it for life.
PHS advantages and disadvantage
-shorter waiting times for procedures
-choice of doctor in hospital public and private
-high income earners do not pay extra
-costly in premiums
-long qualifying periods
-policies can be complex
