AOS2 Flashcards
how is medicare funded?
medicare levy, medicare levy surcharge, general income taxation
what is medicare?
Australia’s universal health insurance scheme, which provides all Australian residents access to necessary healthcare at a subsidized cost or not cost
what is medicare levy
Individuals pay tax, are taxed an additional 2% of their income. Goes towards cost of Medicare.
People earning below an amount will be exempt from levy
what is medicare levy surcharge
Individuals without PHI and earn over $90,000 will be taxed an additional 1% on top of levy
Encourages high income earners to get PHI, reducing strain on Medicare
what is bulk billing
A GP, can choose to bulk bill a consultation meaning they charge no more than the schedule fee for the service. Patient has no out of pocket expenses. Only services listed in the Medicare benefits scheme can be bulk billed.
explain the medicare safety net
designed to protect individuals from experiencing high costs from chronic disease. lowers cost of Medicare services
Once an individual spends over a certain amount in a year, they will be charged at a significantly cheaper rate for services for the remaining of the year
what does medicare cover?
Out of hospital expenses:
Schedule fee
Tests and examinations, required to diagnose illnesses such as x-rays and pathology tests
Eye tests: performed by optometrist
Tests performed by GP’s
In hospital expenses:
Treatment and accommodation as a public patient in a public hospital
For private patients, Medicare covers 75% of schedule fee for treatment, costs
what does medicare not cover?
Dental examinations
Ambulance services
Allied health service
Majority of private hospital expenses: Medicare 75% of the schedule fee for treatment costs by doctors but does NOT cover accommodation, theatre fees, medication
Health aids: hearing aids, glasses, contacts
Alternative treatments- chiropractic services, acupuncture osteo
list the advantages of medicare
- Every resident has access to basic healthcare at little or not cost
- Repricoal agreement enables citizens to access subsidized healthcare in selected countries
- Patients can choose their doctor for out of hospital services
list the disadvantages of medicare
- Significant wait times for non-emergency
- Patients are unable to choose their doctors for healthcare services
- Doesn’t cover alternative treatment such as physiotherapy
what is the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme?
A program run by the Australian Federal Government that subsidizes various essential prescription medicines for Australian citizens, permanent residents and visitors from selected countries
what does the PBS do?
Provides thousands of medicines on the PBS schedule at a significantly reduced cost
explain the PBS safety net
Protects individuals from high costs of essential prescription medicines by significantly reducing the subsided costs of medicines once they reach a certain threshold for the remaining calendar year.
what is private health insurance?
An optional type of health insurance which people can have in addition to Medicare, in which members pay a premium in return for payment towards services that are not covered by Medicare
list the advantages of PHI
- Patient can choose their doctor as private patient
- Reduced waiting times for non-emergency treatment
- Patients can choose which hospital they want to be treated at
- Reduces pressure on public health system
- Financial coverage for a wider range of services
