The provision of health services in Australia would be more/less efficient with a move to privatisation and voluntary participation
Abstract
Australians have among the highest life expectancy in the world, and most have ready access to comprehensive health care of a high standard. The primarily tax-funded health system achieves reasonably cost-effective health care and good health outcomes and generally enjoys public support with a key principle being universal access to good quality health care regardless of ability to pay.
Despite these considerable achievements, some endemic problems so far have eluded solutions.
Australia has a federal form of government with fiscal and functional responsibilities divided between the Australian Government and the six States and two Territories. Australia is a generally prosperous country with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita close to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average.
Under the Australian constitution, the federal government has primary responsibility for taxation, but the provinces have primary responsibility for managing health care.
This report examines both the public and private health care industries, and provides a discussion as to whether a provision of health services would be more or less efficient with a move to privatisation and voluntary participation.
Introduction
Australians have among the highest life expectancy in the world, and most have ready access to comprehensive health care of a high standard. The primarily tax-funded health system achieves reasonably cost-effective health care and good health outcomes and generally enjoys ...