Factors which have shaped the Australian Health Sector

Running Head: FACTORS WHICH HAVE SHAPED THE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH SECTOR
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Factors which have shaped the Australian Health Sector
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FACTORS WHICH HAVE SHAPED THE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH SECTOR
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Factors which have shaped the Australian Health Sector
In any country, how the healthcare system is structured plays a major role in determining
the general health status of the country. Having a well-structured and effective healthcare system
enables a country to achieve its health goals. However, to achieve a well-structured and effective
healthcare system there are a number of factors which come into play. For instance, countries in
the sub-Saharan regions are likely to struggle a lot to achieve effective healthcare systems than
those in Mediterranean regions because resources are limited. Other factors such as the Medicare
policy have seen the Australian healthcare sector transform from its initial approach where
access was difficult for low class citizens to a universal approach. It is important for nurses in the
contemporary society to understand these two influences of healthcare because they will enable
them prioritize healthcare responses depending on the location (Kay & Boxall, 2015). For
instance, people living in disadvantaged areas such as Cherbourg in Queensland will need more
attention when it comes to healthcare services. This paper scrutinizes health policies and
socioeconomic status in Australia and how they have shaped the country’s healthcare sector and
access to healthcare services.
In Australia, healthcare is delivered in a mixed system approach. There is universal
healthcare which is seen as public and there is private healthcare which is achieved through the
acquisition of health insurance cover. Although the majority of healthcare services are provided
publicly or through the universal healthcare approach which entails primary health care and
public hospitals, there are others which are provided in the private sector (Robinson, Varhol,
Ramamurthy, Denehy, Hendrie, O'Leary & Selvey, 2015). Comparing the ease of healthcare
service access in some few years ago with what is experienced currently; there is a big difference
which has been brought about by the government intervention in this sector. The government of

FACTORS WHICH HAVE SHAPED THE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH SECTOR
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Australia came up with a health care policy called Medicare which has fully shaped the
healthcare sector of the country from what it used to be. Medicare is a scheme that was proposed
by the government of Australia to give its residents access to healthcare (Raymond, Preen,
Inderjeeth, Keen & Nossent, 2017).
Medicare is the universal health insurance scheme in Australia that subsidizes medical
costs for all Australian citizens as well as permanent residents. There are also other schemes
which are funded by the government of Australia through its healthcare policy to cover specific
circumstances such as indigenous Australians, workers compensation scheme and veterans
(Schadewaldt, McInnes, Hiller & Gardner, 2016). Medicare scheme is supported by the 2% levy
paid by the Australians who earn over a certain amount. To cater for medical costs of Australian
visitors, the government has permitted the travel insurances to cover visitors. People who are not
registered with Medicare and wish to be covered for hospital costs are allowed to take out private
health insurance which is also subsidized by the government of Australia. In addition to these
schemes, there is a Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which is also funded by the Australian
government to considerably subsidize a number of prescribed medications (Wong, Greene,
Dolja‐Gore & van Gool, 2017).
Through Medicare, Australian residents have been able to get free or subsidized
treatment by health professionals such as dentists, doctors, and other allied health care
practitioners. Also, residents who have registered in this scheme can access free accommodation
and treatment in public hospitals (McCall, 2016). Finally, private patients who attend private
hospitals have been able to get 75% of the Medicare Schedule fee for services and procedures
subsidized (Hua, Erreygers, Chalmers, Laba & Clarke, 2017). Compared to the previous
healthcare system, this new system has made easy and affordable to access healthcare services