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Australia at a Glance

Australia: Economy and Health Care

Australia's public health care system is called Medicare.

Economic Overview

According to 2012 figures, Australia is the 13^th largest economy in the world with a high per-capita GDP. Most laborers and employees living in Australia work in the service sector (including tourism, education and financial services). Export plays an important role, in particular exporting commodities rather than manufactured goods. However, agriculture (wool and beef) and natural resources (notably gold and precious opals) contribute substantially to Australia´s export performance.

People living in Australia were also hit by the effects of the global financial and economic crisis when export levels declined in 2009. However, the economy has recovered well. The more recent focus on science and technology has attracted new business, providing new employment perspectives for skilled employees.

Medicare

Australia has a public health-care system called Medicare. It is funded by the so-called Medicare Levy, which in most cases amounts to 1.5% of every eligible person´s taxable income. This is automatically deducted from the monthly salary. Every eligible person can register for a Medicare card. While Medicare covers the cost of most essential treatments, visits to the dentist, hearing or visual aids and physiotherapy, among other things, are not paid for by Medicare.

Although significantly cheaper than in some other countries, prescription drugs are not covered by Medicare either. Chronically ill people who need medicine on a regular basis can get help under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Everybody living in Australia on a permanent visa is eligible for Medicare assistance in the same way as Australian citizens are. However, most temporary visa holders need to take out private health insurance. You will be asked to provide evidence of your private health care coverage when applying for a working visa unless you come from a country which has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia: Nationals of Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK receive Medicare assistance for necessary medical treatments while they are in Australia.

Private Health Insurance

Even Australians are actively encouraged by their government to take out private health insurance if they can afford it. There are various financial incentives, e.g. a 30 % rebate on insurance premiums. However, if you are not eligible for Medicare in the first place, you won´t be able to benefit from these government schemes.

There is a wide variety of private healthcare providers – called funds – that offer different service packages. For information on funds and products, you can start by consulting the website of the Australian Government Private Health Insurance Administration Council. It provides advice on the sort of cover required for certain types of temporary visas.