Department of Health and Ageing

The Department of Health and Ageing sets national health policies and subsidises the health services provided by State and Territory governments and the private sector. Their funding range includes universal medical services and pharmaceuticals, financial assistance for public hospitals, residential care facilities, hostels, home and community care, and support for training of health professionals and tertiary students. The Department is also the major source of funding for health research.

There are a number of other health agencies who work together with the Department of Health and Ageing. They are Medicare Australia, the Private Health Insurance Administration Council, the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman, the Professional Services Review Scheme, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority and the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency.

The fundamental aims of the Department are to work to:

• Promote and protect the health of all Australians and minimise the incidence of preventable mortality, illness, injury and disability;


• Provide access through Medicare to cost-effective medical services, medicines and acute healthcare for all Australians;


• Enhance the qualify of life for older Australians by supporting quality and cost-effective care for frail older people and support for their carers;


• Improve the quality, integration and effectiveness of healthcare;


• Improve health outcomes for Australians living in regional, rural and remote locations;


• Reduce the consequences of hearing loss for eligible clients and the incidence of hearing loss in the broader community;


• Improve the health status for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;


• Provide a viable private health insurance industry to improve the choice of health services for Australians; and to


• Develop knowledge, information and training for developing better strategies to improve the health of Australians.