Public and Private Healthcare in Australia

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Coverage and Funding
Proposed Benefits
References

Introduction

Healthcare is an important part of society, which is typically managed on a nationwide basis by both public and private entities. Subsequently, there are primarily two methods of healthcare provision: public and private. Public healthcare, in general, pertains to the services provided and compensated for by the government, which are available to all citizens (Meleddu et al., 2019, pp. 3). In Australia, as outlined by the commonwealth fund, it is a regionally administered program that universal health insurance called Medicaid (Tikkanen et al., 2020). A private system of healthcare delivery, then, is based upon individual service providers that allow people to receive medical attention on their own established basis (Meleddu et al., 2019, pp. 3). The two systems can co-exist within a society, and in most cases, citizens attempt to take advantage of both private and public healthcare to best realize their interests.

Coverage and Funding

The main difference between the two systems of healthcare provision comes with how they are funded and who can use them. In the case of public healthcare in Australia, Medicaid is funded through general tax and government levies (Tikkanen et al., 2020). Effectively, the money collected from the public goes through the government system to provide services back to the people. Coverage is universal, with any citizen being able to enroll free of charge and receive physician care, hospitalization services, and access to pharmaceuticals, among other things (Tikkanen et al., 2020). Additionally, the government offers additional insurance people can pay for, which includes dental services and offers such as private hospital care.

Private healthcare, on the other hand, utilizes another system for its realization. As suggested by its name, healthcare services are provided to people on an individual basis, where they pay for insurance and services they require (Australian Government Department of Health, 2021). Care is then provided by for-profit organizations and commercial firms. The process can include hospital care, dental care, surgery, cosmetic surgery, medication, and any other potential options. Any person that can pay is eligible for access to private healthcare.

Proposed Benefits

There are several benefits to both systems, which in many cases serve to cover each-others detriments. For example, there is a variety of services public healthcare is unable to cover, including cosmetic surgery and some forms of physiotherapy. Private healthcare, then, works to cover these niches and allow people to get the care they desire. Furthermore, the private option allows quicker access to specialists, and access to the latest technologies and methods (Australian Government Department of Health, 2021). Comparatively, public healthcare can oftentimes take longer to serve the needs of the individual and feel less advanced in terms of approaches. However, it is also necessary to highlight the benefits of the public option, namely, the free nature of healthcare provision (Tikkanen et al., 2020). Public healthcare works to cover the majority of people, allowing them to live fulfilling lives without worrying about paying their medical bills. Additionally, some people might have a problem accessing private services due to their living conditions, a lack of financial capability, or remote living. In this case, it becomes much more convenient to use the public option.

References

Australian Government Department of Health 2021, ‘About private health insurance’, Australian Government Department of Health. Web.

Meleddu M, Pulina M, Scuderi R 2019, ‘Public and private healthcare services: What drives the choice?’, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, vol. 70, 2020.

Tikkanen R, Osborn R, Mossialos E, Djordjevic A, Wharton G 2020, ‘Australia’, The Commonwealth Fund. Web.

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Public and Private Healthcare in Australia

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