Health Care System Financing and Accessibility in the United States vs. Australia

Abstract

A comparison between health care system financing and accessibility in Australia and the United States, followed by focus on some disadvantaged groups in the United States, namely the AMESH, black Americans, Hispanics, and native Americans, and how two major problems of the American health care system, which are accessibility, and affordability affecting the health status of these marginalized groups. FUNDING THE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM The Australian health care system is financed by different levels of government, ranging from national state/territory to local and to a less extent by private insurers. The government is the major contributor of health funding it is estimated that Almost 70% of total health expenditure during 2011-2012 was funded by governments, with the Australian Government contributing 42.4% and state and territory governments 27.3%. The remaining 30.3% ($ 42.4 billion) was paid for by patients (17%), private health insurers (8%) and accident compensation schemes (5%) (AIHW 2013b). The Australian government has obligations to fund health care via some mechanisms: Medicare benefits scheme (MBS) which are services offered by Medicare and subsidized by the Australian government which encompasses procedures, consultations, and tests. Patients will get compensated 100% for any GP related services, 85% of any non-GP related services in public hospitals, however will get 75% compensation in a private setting. Patient will sometimes to pay to cover the fee gap [1]. Medicare is funded by taxation revenue, and 1.5% by Medicare levy out of the pocket cost is usually offset by Medicare safety net. The pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS) a list that has all the medications available to be dispensed by a pharmacist to a patient at a government-subsidized price. The PBS started since 1984, by offering free medications for pensioners and 139 disease preventing and lifesaving drugs free for other people. National partnership agreements (NPAS) fund the delivery of specific projects in states and territories "These currently include hospital reform, preventive health, workforce reform, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, elective surgery, e-health, vaccines, health infrastructure projects and a range of health services, including cancer screening and health protection programs" [2]. The private health insurance rebate, which helps Australians to get health care in private hospitals, and other ancillary services such as dental care, according to the private health insurance administration council (PHIAC) 45% of the Australians has private health insurance and almost 55% for ancillary services such as dentistry and optometry. The common wealth government provides a rebate for insurance premiums and charging high earner for extra Medicare levy surcharge if they choose not to enroll into private hospital insurance. Health services for veterans which is provided through various providers: medical officer scheme, the repatriation pharmaceutical benefit scheme (RPBS), and for the treatment in private hospitals the repatriation private patients scheme. HEALTH SERVICES DELIVERY IN AUSTRALIA Health services are provided by a various number of providers including the government at different levels, federal, state, and local in addition to private and non for profits organizations.