MEDICARE
Medicare is Australia’s universal health insurance scheme. It guarantees all Australians (and some overseas visitors) access to a wide range of health and hospital services at low or no cost.
Pharmaceutical benefits scheme subsidises medicines for people with a Medicare card.
WHAT IS PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE?
In Australia, private health insurance allows you to be treated in hospital as a private patient. It can also help pay for health care costs that Medicare doesn’t cover, such as physiotherapy. How much and what it covers depends on your policy.
WHAT IS NDIS?
The NDIS provides funding to eligible people with disability to gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an improved quality of life.
The NDIS also connects anyone with disability to services in their community.
WHO IS MEDICARE ACCESSIBLE TO?
Guarantees all Australians access to a wide range of hospital services at low or no cost.
SOME ADVANTAGES OF PBS?
- Provides access to essential medication at a subsidised rate or income cases no cost.
- Provides additional support to those with concession cards by having lower co-payments.
- Treatment in public or private hospitals as a private patient with the doctor of your choice
- Health services that are not covered under Medicare such as physiotherapy, dental and optical.
BENEFITS OF NDIS?
- NDIS helps every person with equality. You will be able to get the NDIS support regardless of when and where disability was acquired.
- NDIS delivers supports that produce long term outcomes, maximising opportunities for independence and productivity.
WHAT IS NOT COVERED BY MEDICARE?
- ambulance services
- most dental services
- glasses and contact lenses
- hearing devices
- elective or cosmetic surgery
- services provided through private health system
WHAT YOU PAY FOR PBS MEDICINES?
To help meet the cost of the scheme, you pay a proportion (a ‘co-payment’) for your PBS medicines and the Government pays the rest of the cost.
You don’t have to take out private health insurance, but you can choose to if you want cover for more health services and choice.
WHAT IS COVERED BY NDIS?
- Assistance with Daily Life
- Transport
- Assistance with Social & Community Participation
HOW IS MEDICARE FUNDED?
- Medicare is funded through: tax payers- in addition to general income tax pay a medicare levy of 20% of their taxable income.
- Medicare levy surcharge of 1.0- 1.5% for high income earners without private health insurance.
- General Taxation.
HOW IS PBS FUNDED?
- Funded through the Commonwealth Government through Taxes.
- Dr prescribes medication- patient pays subsidised amount, Govt pays remaining cost.
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE, E.G. MEDIBANK
- HBF
- AHM
- HCF
- GMHBA
HOW IS NDIS FUNDED?
Money to fund disability services through the NDIS comes from the Australian Government and the states and territories.