Should Australian Government privatise medibanks?

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

The NHS has grown to become the world’s largest publicly funded health service system since 1948(Nhs.uk, 2015).There are many issues and disputes in NHS. Nowadays,some people believe that the NHS should be abolished or privatized,because it can solve many issues with NHS.This essay agree that the NHS should not be abolished or privatized.

Private Health Insurance (PHI) is an important component in the funding of healthcare services in Australia, supplementing free universal public hospital access available through the Government’s Medicare system by providing coverage for treatment as a private patient in hospitals and for ancillary items such as dental, physiotherapy, ambulance and other services. From an insurance perspective, PHI differs significantly to general and life insurance in a community rating rather than individual risk underwriting applies. In 1976, The Australian Government established Medibank Private as a not-for-profit private health insurer, as an operating division of a statutory authority (the Health Insurance Commission). Medibank Private proved a success,

About one third of all hospital beds in Australia are provided by Private Hospitals. Although half of all Australians have private health insurance, the Government is seeking to achieve an even higher balance of Australians with private cover, while preserving Medicare as the universal safety net. An example of how the private system works is; if a private patient was admitted to either a private or public hospital, they would have a choice of doctor to treat them. Medicare would pay 75% of the Medicare

Although the financial constraint was one of the initial triggers that made government to move toward privatization of health care, the argument of those who oppose to privatization remains at the prediction of future damages to the health care system caused by the privatization, not about the resolution of financial crisis. (Barkun, 2008; CBC, 2006; CNA, 2013; Deber, 2013; McDonald & McIntyre, 2014; ONA,

By understanding the two opposing systems regarding health care, I believe that the Canadian health-care system should in fact be privatized. Despite the fact that the public health-care system is a great way of providing medical care to everyone, I believe that I am not receiving the best health-care that I could be receiving in other countries. Another reason why I favor privatized health care over publicized is because of what progressive taxation imposes among individuals who have a higher salary, they are taxed at a higher rate, due to the fact that they possess a larger amount taxable than those who do not make enough. I believe that hard working, successful individuals should be able to take advantage of their accomplishments, therefore

Socialized medical systems are designed to disregard the insurance industry and disregard income while providing health care for all. Healthcare in the United States is constantly changing and advancing, which requires the cost of health insurance to rise. The idea of socialized medicine is prominent, until the aspects of socialized medicine are brought to attention. Every aspect of a socialized health care industry is controlled and powered by the government; most doctors, nurses, medics and administrators are government employees, and the government decides when, where, and how services are provided. Even though socialized healthcare systems would save money, it is a prominent idea but not worth the problems because total government control over the way healthcare is distributed would result in complications of the citizens.

One of the major problems facing our country today is the healthcare crisis. The inequality in our current healthcare system has created a huge gap in the difference between the level and the quality of healthcare that different people receive. Having an improved and reliable health care system available for everyone should be a priority that the government must make available. There are countries whose health care system meets the needs of the patients while there are countries whose health care systems need a great amount of overhaul for them to be able to attend to their patients. In this essay I will discuss the healthcare crisis and the differences in many countries

People are living longer, population is increasing by the day. Public spending is insufficient hence the infusion of private funds can assist in providing the 1st class health service that the people required.

From 1991 going forward, the health care environment again experienced fundamental changes as a result of the deregulation of hospitals which according to Ingols and Brem (as cited in Swayne, Duncan, and Ginter, 2006) was occurring for the first time in a decade. According to the authors, the impact of the move was immediate. Following the deregulation, the financial viability of most hospitals was

The healthcare system of USA has continuously evolved and matured over the years. With time, the healthcare system of USA has strengthened. Still, this system has certain weak points that have to be overcome in order to deliver excellent healthcare services. Providing, best of the healthcare services, should be the combined responsibility of public and private players (Robert, 2009). People would also have a role to play in order to ensure that healthcare services and delivered in an excellent way. In the postindustrial period, USA has

Hospitals are a local monopoly. The result is that hospitals may tend to monopolize their local area, consolidating or driving competitors out of business and then charging rent-extracting prices for their services.  Given the basic necessity of healthcare services and the resulting political sensitivity of the issue, this is generally viewed as a Bad Thing.  So government serves a role by treating hospitals like an airport,

Australia is a two tiered system including a private and public sector. Medicare is a universal health insurance scheme under the public system. It was introduced on the 1st of February 1984 by the Australian Labor party the principal is for all Australian to have equal access to health. There are three levels of government these include Local, State or territory and Federal, all three have different roles to perform in terms of health care. The local government is responsible for towns and districts, moreover, local councils or shires function is to operate systems and projects such as sewage, garbage disposals and maintenance of the safety food standard. Both state and federal direct different parts of Medicare. State government manages public hospital within their territory or state, the state government receives 40%-50% of the total cost of expenditures for the public hospital from the Federal government. Lastly, Federal role includes payments to primary health services there include GPs, the majority of nurses, medical specialists and allied health professionals. In 1996 Budget guaranteed the renewal of private health insurance.

Every country faces the vital, yet daunting, task of instituting a successful healthcare system. This is exceedingly difficult as each country is unique in their history, culture, population and health needs, all of which require a specialized system. Furthermore, an ideal system addresses equally the three key aspects of healthcare: quality, affordability and availability. A system without even one of these aspects at its full potential is not providing the best care possible for the population.

The problem at Memorial Hospital is the focus on costs instead of health care. When a health care provider does not take the primary business as the core value of the operation and make strategic and tactical decisions based primary on costs, it decreases the consumers’ (patients) satisfaction in long run. As consumers reduce or stop purchasing goods and services from the hospital, hospital may make more cost oriented decisions and falls into a negative cycle. Eventually the hospital may face the fate of loosing business to competitors and the possibility of closing the door.