Australia has a mixed public and private health system, with both government-funded and privately funded options available to patients. The private health system in Australia plays a significant role in the provision of healthcare services to the population.
Private hospitals in Australia are owned and operated by private organisations or corporations, rather than the government. These hospitals often have more significant resources and funding available than public hospitals. As a result, they can offer modern, up-to-date medical technologies and a wider range of specialised services including cutting-edge health care. Private hospitals also tend to have shorter wait times for elective procedures and offer more comfortable accommodations for patients.
Private health insurance is available in Australia to help cover the cost of private hospital treatment and other medical expenses. While private health insurance is not compulsory in Australia, it is highly recommended as it can significantly reduce the out-of-pocket costs associated with private healthcare, which are mainly incurred from hospital charges.
Costs, when a patient chose to be treated in a private hospital, come from 4 categories.
- Hospital costs (including accommodation, pathology and radiology tests)
- Surgeon’s fee (including gap if any)
- Anaesthetist fee (including gap if any)
- Surgical assistant’s fee (if the procedure is a major one)
If a patient has full hospital coverage from their insurance, then it would cover the entire hospital cost (this amounts to about 80% of the entire cost to the patient). The insurance covers part of the surgeon’s and anaesthetist’s fee (excluding any gap) and the entire assistant’s fee.
While the private health system in Australia has many advantages, it also has its drawbacks. Private healthcare can be expensive, and not everyone can afford to pay for private health insurance or out-of-pocket expenses. Despite these challenges, the private health system in Australia continues to play an important role in the provision of healthcare to the population. It provides an alternative to the public health system and allows individuals to access advanced medical technologies and specialised services.