Australia's health system
This section aims to familiarise overseas trained doctors (OTDs) with the Australian health system. The various roles and responsibilities of the agencies and jurisdictions that make up the health system are outlined here, including vital information on the Medicare system for doctors.
‘The Australian health system is world-class in both its effectiveness and efficiency: Australia consistently ranks in the best performing group of countries for healthy life expectancy and health expenditure per person.’ (World Health Organization 2003)
Australia’s robust private health sector is complemented by a universal public health system called Medicare. The way in which these two sectors have been combined and balanced ensures quality care and choice for all Australians.
Australians have affordable access to a broad range of quality health services that are either free at the point of delivery or subject to substantial government rebates. Doctors in private practice are largely free to determine the number of rebateable services they provide and the fees they charge to patients.
The two major national subsidy schemes, Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), subsidise payments for services provided by doctors and optometrists, and for a high proportion of prescription medications bought from pharmacies.
Safety nets apply for Medicare and the PBS to protect Australians from high out-of pocket costs for medical services and pharmaceuticals provided outside of hospitals. These two schemes are further integrated with social welfare arrangements, with larger rebates and/or lower safety net thresholds provided for individuals or families who receive certain income support payments (such as for unemployment or disability).
Additional information about both the PBS and Medicare can be found by accessing the Medicare Education web page. You will find links to online learning programs, educational information and reference guides that allow for individual, self-paced learning in the users own environment.