medicare Flashcards
what is medicare and what does it cover
medicare is australia’s universal health insurance scheme that gives all australians, permanent residents and people from countries with a reciprocal agreement access to subsidised healthcare
it covers X-rays, GP consults and eye tests performed by optometrist
what doesn’t medicare cover
cosmetic procedures, ambulance services & most dental examinations + treatments
schedule fee
the amount set by the federal government for each medical service ($38.75) that is covered by medicare
out-of-pocket expenses
fees that are not covered by medicare in the instance the doctor’s charge more than the scheduled fee then you are required to pay the difference
bulk-billing
when medicare is accepted by the medical office/clinic and no out-of-pocket expenses are charged because the payment is claimed directly from medicare
how is medicare funded
medicare levy, medicare levy surcharge and general taxation
medicare levy
additional 2% tax placed on taxable income over $20,000
medicare levy surcharge
additional 1-1.5% tax on the income of people without private health insurance earning more than $90,000 a year for individuals and $180,000 for families
advantages of medicare
- reduced cost for essential medical
services - covers tests and examinations, doctors
and specialists fees - available to all Australian Citizens
disadvantages of medicare
- no choice of doctor for in hospital
treatments - waiting list for many treatments
- often does not cover the full amount of a
doctor’s visit if the clinic is not bulk-billed so out-of-pocket fees r incurred
medicare safety net
provides extra financial assistance given to people who have excessive medical expenses each year & further support is provided making medicare services cheaper for the rest of the year.
general taxation
regular income tax is used to help cover costs as the above two points do not cover all the costs
