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4. Medical Information
The Health Care System
Medicare Australia works in partnership with the Department of Health and Ageing to achieve
the Australian Government’s health policy objectives. Its objective is to assist in improving
health outcomes in Australia.
These health programs include:
• Australia’s universal health insurance program, Medicare (including the compensation
recovery program for Medicare and nursing home benefits)
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
• Australian Government 30% Private Health Insurance Rebate
• Special Assistance Schemes
• Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
• Australian Organ Donor Register
• General Practice Immunisation Incentives Scheme
• Practice Incentives Program
• Rural Retention Program
• Claims processing and payments for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (including the
Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme), the Office of Hearing Services and the
Department of Western Australia
• Family Assistance Office in partnership with other Australian government agencies.
Medicare is Australia’s universal health care system introduced in 1984 to provide eligible
Australian residents with affordable, accessible and high-quality health care.
Medicare was established based on the understanding that all Australians should contribute
to the cost of health care according to their ability to pay. It is financed through progressive
income tax and an income-related Medicare levy.
Medicare provides access to:
• Free treatment as a public (Medicare) patient in a public hospital, and
• Free or subsidised treatment by medical practitioners including general practitioners,
specialists, participating optometrists or dentists (for specified services only).
Overseas visitors on temporary visas are not eligible for Medicare benefits unless they are
from a country with which Australia has a ‘Reciprocal Health Care Agreement’. Currently,
Australia has agreements with the United Kingdom, Malta, Finland, Sweden, Italy, New Zealand,
the Netherlands and Ireland. If you are visiting Australia from these countries, you are generally
covered for medically necessary treatment in a public hospital. If you are unsure of your
Medicare eligibility status, you should check with your local Medicare office, which is listed in
your local telephone book.
The information on Australia’s Health Care System has been compiled from the Department of Health and Aging
publication:The Australian Health care System - An outline, published in September 2000. ‘copyright Commonwealth of
Australia reproduced by permission’.
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Medicare Levy
Medicare is the scheme that gives Australian residents access to health care. To help fund the
scheme, resident taxpayers are subject to a Medicare levy. Normally, the Medicare levy is at
the rate of 1.5% of your taxable income. A variation to this calculation may occur in certain
circumstances. Generally, tax offsets do not reduce your Medicare levy. Most Australians are
liable to pay the Medicare levy.
Exemption categories
You were in an exemption category if:
1. You were a blind pensioner or you received the sickness allowance from Centrelink
2. You were entitled to full free medical treatment for all conditions under defence
force arrangements or Veterans’ Affairs Repatriation Health Card (Gold Card) or
repatriation arrangements
3. You were not an Australian resident for tax purposes
4. You were a resident of Norfolk Island 5. You were a member of a diplomatic mission or consular post in Australia – or a
member of such a person’s family and you were living with them – and you were not
an Australian citizen and you do not ordinarily live in Australia
6. You have a certificate from the Medicare Levy Exemption Certification Unit of
Medicare Australia showing that you are not entitled to Medicare benefits because
you were a temporary resident for Medicare purposes.. A letter from Medicare is not
sufficient. For more information on how to apply for an exemption certificate, contact
Medicare Australia on 1300 300 271 or visit their website:
www.medicareaustralia.gov.au.
What is the Medicare levy surcharge (MLS)?
Individuals and families on incomes above the MLS thresholds, who do not have private patient
hospital cover pay MLS for any period during 2007-08 that they did not have this cover.
The ATO calculate MLS at the rate of 1% of your taxable income. The MLS is in addition to the
1.5% Medicare levy.
Eligibility and enrolment
People who reside in Australia - excluding Norfolk Island - are eligible if they:
• Hold Australian citizenship
• Have been issued with a permanent visa
• Hold New Zealand citizenship
• Have applied for a permanent visa (excludes an application for a parent visa)—other
requirements apply. Contact Medicare for further information.
Medicare: General public enquiries
Post: Medicare, GPO Box 9822, Brisbane, QLD 4000
Phone: 132 011
Email: medicare@medicareaustralia.gov.au
The information on Australia’s Health Care System has been compiled from the Department of Health and Aging
publication:The Australian Health care System - An outline, published in September 2000. ‘copyright Commonwealth of
Australia reproduced by permission’.
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4. Medical Information
Public Health Services
The States and Territories are primarily responsible for the delivery and management of
public health services and for maintaining direct relationships with most health care providers,
including the regulation of health professionals.
The States and Territories deliver public acute and psychiatric hospital services and a wide
range of community and public health services including school health, dental health, maternal
and child health and environmental health programs.
Australia’s public hospital system is jointly funded by the Australian Government and state
and territory governments and is administered by state and territory health departments.
Queensland Health is the state department in Queensland that is responsible for the states
public hospitals.
Queensland Health
Queensland Health is a dynamic organisation committed to providing a range of services
aimed at achieving good health and well-being for all Queenslanders.
Through a network of 20 Health Service Districts and the Mater Hospitals, Queensland Health
delivers a range of integrated services including hospital inpatient, outpatient and emergency
services, community and mental health services, aged care services and public health and health
promotion programs.
Address: Queensland Health Building. 147-163 Charlotte St., Brisbane QLD 4000
Post: GPO Box 48 Brisbane, QLD 4001
Phone: 3234 0111
Web: www.health.qld.gov.au
Private Health Cover
There is a large and vigorous private sector in health services. The Commonwealth
Government considers that strong private sector involvement in health services provision
and financing is essential to the viability of the Australian health system. For this reason the
Commonwealth Government provides a 30 per cent subsidy to individuals who acquire private
health insurance and has introduced additional arrangements to foster lifelong participation in
private health insurance.
Private health insurance can cover private and public hospital charges (public hospitals charge
only patients who elect to be private patients in order to be treated by the doctors of their
choice), and a portion of medical fees for inpatient services. Private insurance can also cover
allied health / paramedical services (such as physiotherapists’and podiatrists’services) and some
aids and appliances (such as spectacles).
A number of private health insurers provide health cover for overseas visitors. Benefits
available, membership costs and eligibility can vary between insurers.
The State Government of Queensland (Queensland Health) is the author and owner of this information.The
information provided is unaltered from its original form.
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Most overseas visitors’ health cover products have limited cover for pharmaceuticals. Overseas
visitors may face significant out of pocket costs if they need treatment with pharmaceuticals,
particularly oncology (cancer treatment).
The Department of Health and ageing has a list of Insurers offering overseas visitors health
cover. To view the list, visit the Departments website and search for: Insurers offering overseas
visitors health cover
Web: www.health.gov.au
iselect
iSelect is Australia’s leading private health insurance intermediary, creating one of the fastest
growing destinations for consumers to compare, select and purchase health insurance”
The principal activity of the company is the comparison and provision of health insurance
policies to Australian consumers on behalf of participating health insurers. These insurers
include some of Australia’s most respected health funds.
Web: www.iselect.com.au
The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO)
PHIO provides an independent service to help consumers with health insurance problems and
enquiries. The Ombudsman can deal with complaints from health funds, private hospitals or
medical practitioners. Complaints must be about a health insurance arrangement.
Complaints Hotline: 1800 640 695 (free call anywhere in Australia)
Phone: 02 8235 8777
TIS: 13 14 50
Fax: 02 8235 8778
Email: info@phio.org.au
Web: www.phio.org.au
Family Assistance Office
The role of the Family Assistance Office (set up by the Australian Government) is to provide
information on child care and family payment options within Australia.
Phone: 13 61 50 (or 13 12 02 for information in languages other than English)
Free call: 1800 810 586
Web: www.familyassist.gov.au
The information on Australia’s Health Care System has been compiled from the Department of Health and Aging
publication:The Australian Health care System - An outline, published in September 2000. ‘copyright Commonwealth of
Australia reproduced by permission’.