Australia 's Health Care System

The Australian healthcare system has been evolving since the beginning of the colonisation of Australia. Today, Australia has an extremely efficient healthcare system although it still has several issues. The influencing factors, structure, and current issues of the Australian healthcare system will be throughly discussed and explained in this essay.

In modern health care system, the intensity and complexity of work that it involves need a system that is well organized, have some control and is people centered. In Australia for instance, the current health care system need to incorporate some aspect of sociology in an attempt to achieve its goals. One such aspect is power in the system. Additionally, it is prudent to note how the hierarchy is essential in the Australian healthcare system. Additionally, it is important to discuss how power and hierarchy are intrinsic in health care system in Australia.

Since 1965, Medicare has been attempting to provide low cost, guaranteed access to much needed healthcare for senior citizens over the age of 65 and other age groups that suffer from disabilities and terminal diseases. These people represent some of the most vulnerable population groups in the United States. Most do not work, and rely on Medicare to provide them the access to healthcare they need. Unlike privatized health insurance companies, Medicare is a social insurance program that is paid for through federal mandates and tax payer funds. Billions of dollars are spent annually on over 50 million Americans in need (Alonso-Zaldivar 1). The care structure itself is broken into several main parts: Medicare Part A covers hospital costs, Part B cover most outpatient care costs, and Part C and D cover prescription drug costs through dealing with other private insurance. Yet, the upcoming election in November is threatening to change and alter the structure. Each candidate has his own plan to deal with Medicare; both are trying to reign in the costs of operating Medicare, but with some elements being obviously more beneficial for Medicare recipients than others.

The healthcare system in Australia is complex involving many funders and healthcare providers. In 2011 to 2012 the health expenditure in Australia was estimated to have been $140.2 billion, which made up 9.5 percent of gross domestic product in that year (AIHW, 2013). Responsibilities are split between different levels of government, and between the government and non-government sectors. With non-government sources funding for about 30 percent of the total health expenditure each year (AIHW, 2013). Australians make their contribution to their healthcare system through taxes, including the Medicare levy, and through private financing such as private health insurance. Private health insurance in Australia is a voluntary facility for private funding of hospital care and ancillaries. Insurance funds may cover the costs of treatment for private patients in private or public hospitals and can include some services that Medicare does not cover. The Australian governments fund for almost 70 percent of the health expenditure each year (AIHW, 2013). The federal government contributes to approximately two-thirds, while State, Territory and local governments together contribute for the other one-third (AIWH, 2013). As a generalization the Australian government is primarily responsible for the funding of healthcare, through health insurance arrangements and direct payments to the state and territories, while state and territories are primarily responsible

This essay will discuss the structure of Australia’s healthcare system, known as Medicare. It will also discuss the role of the Government and Non-Government agencies, and Medicare’s strengths and weaknesses. It will also address the health and illness issues that aboriginal and people from overseas face, and also the significance of implementing best practice and quality management

Medicare is one of the largest government-sponsored health insurance program in the United States. Medicare was established in 1965 under the Title XVIII of the Social Security. Its main goal was to provide medical coverage to millions of individuals over the age of 65 that was being denied by private insurance. Private insurance denied them either because of their age or preexisting conditions. On the other hand people could not afford private insurance. In order to be eligible to receive Medicare one of these factors must apply:

The Australian health care system is not a very complicated one, it is solely based on two main sectors which are the ‘public’ and ‘private’. The public sector allows one to claim health care benefits and payments through the universal health coverage developed by the Australian government, called Medicare. Medicare is completely free and paid by the government through income tax received to help pay for medical, optical and hospital care (Humanservicesgovau, 2016). It also has a sub-division called the ‘Medicare safety net’ which is more so given to those on significantly low incomes to aid in financial distress. Similarly, the private sector is made up of different companies entitling different benefits, usually consisting of two plans, ‘hospital’ and ‘generic’ (Privatehealthgovau, 2016). The private health care system is more so for people who need immediate attention as the public health system has a waiting list for many different types of operations. Private health system is also customisable in circumstances such as

Medical dominance in Australia Within Australia, medicine has traditionally dominated every facet of health care delivery (Germov, 2002; Willis, 1989). The professional status that medicine holds in Australia has been gained by means of its historical and political advantages (Germov, 2002; Willis, 1989). Willis’s (1989) seminal work on medical dominance provides an extensive review of medical relationships and the power that medicine yields. Historically, in Australia, medicine gained its position of political and economic power through its relationship ARTICLE IN PRESS 1064 A. Kenny, S. Duckett / Social Science & Medicine 58 (2004) 1059–1073 with the state (Willis, 1989). The state was dependent on medicine for

“The Australian health care system is a highly functioning and accessible system based on universal principles of access and equity”.

Due to the upcoming presidential election, the two major political parties, and their candidates, have been focusing on the primary problems that the nation will face. Chief among those problems is the future of Medicare, the national health-insurance plan. Medicare was enacted in 1965, under the administration of Lyndon B. Johnson, in order to provide health insurance for retired citizens and the disabled (Ryan). The Medicare program covers most people aged 65 or older, as well as handicapped people who enroll in the program, and consists of two health plans: a hospital insurance plan (part A) and a medical insurance plan (part B) (Marmor 22). Before Medicare, many Americans didn't have health

Health care systems are organizations that are formed to meet the overall health needs of the population. Health care is regarded as one of the leading cause in promoting not only physical and mental health but the well-being of the population. Legislation is implemented requiring government to offer services to all members of its society. The role of health services and the organizations that provide aid is to focus on the health of an individual and to uphold their human rights. According to WHO (2013), a “well-functioning health care system requires a robust financing mechanism, a well-trained and adequately-paid workforce, reliable information on which to base decisions and policies, and well maintained facilities and logistics to deliver quality medicines and technologies (World Health Organization; 2013).

The first characteristic of the US health care system is that there is no central governing agency which allows for little integration and coordination. While the government has a great influence on the health care system, the system is mostly controlled through private hands. The system is financed publically and privately creating a variety of payments and delivery unlike centrally controlled healthcare systems in other developed countries. The US system is more complex and less manageable than centrally controlled health care systems, which makes it more expensive. The second characteristic of the US health care system is that it is technology driven and focuses on acute care. With more usage of high technology,

Ideal healthcare system will be the one that works for all the individuals in the community without disparity or confusion. With an ideal healthcare system, members in a community will get adequate access to care, basic information, better research and information for the patients (Yvonne, 2009).In this paper; I will discuss the various key factors to be addressed in the development of an ideal model of care.

However, varied the health services are among different nations, there are five significant elements to be assessed to make a health care system ideal. These elements are the issue of cost, quality of health care, availability of well trained workforce, maintenance of a sophisticated medical education system and access to good health care (Sussman, 2012).

In the beginning, the basic design of the Medicare program was modeled on the private insurance system in place in the 1960s. The program has a variety of plans and services for its beneficiaries. Part A was a type of hospital health insurance which provided hospital, skilled nursing facility and home health agency coverage. This coverage was provided free of premiums to most eligible members, but those who were ineligible had to pay a monthly premium. In addition, Medicare included Part B also known as supplemental medical insurance. Part B helped pay for physician, outpatient hospital, home health agency and other services. To have this coverage, all eligible members must pay a monthly premium. This program has helped improve the health and longevity of older Americans. Today these programs are commonly referred to as the “Original Medicare,” in comparison to the current state of Medicare due to the changes Congress has made over the last fifty one years.