Medicare

Medicare is Australia’s universal public health system. It provides high quality healthcare, which is both affordable and accessible to all Australians and often provided free of charge at the point of care.

Medicare ensures that all eligible people have access to free or low-cost medical, optometrical and hospital care, while being free to choose private health services and, in special circumstances, allied health services. Medicare provides access to:

• free treatment as a public (Medicare) patient in a public hospital
• free or subsidised treatment by medical practitioners such as doctors, participating optometrists or dentists (specified services only).

Medicare is financed largely from general taxation revenue, which includes a Medicare levy based on a person’s taxable income (currently set at 1.5%---or 2.5%, above a threshold income, for people without private health insurance).

Domestic private health insurance for Australian residents, as provided by the organisations registered under Australian health law, is not suitable for visitors to Australia because this insurance is a supplement to Medicare. It will not adequately cover the costs of a person who is not eligible for Medicare.

People without access to Medicare are responsible for all health costs incurred in Australia. For this reason, it is highly recommended that all overseas visitors to Australia (including those visitors from countries with reciprocal healthcare agreements that provide for only restricted Medicare access) arrange suitable insurance cover.