The Policy Pitch reading list: out of hospital, out of pocket
Australia’s universal health system is world-renowned. Yet, there are still problems. A successful universal healthcare system should mean that no person misses out on care because of cost, yet many do in Australia. This is because patients can still be billed co-payments at any price for health services, on top of the government Medicare subsidy. The burden of high co-payments falls on some people more than others, particularly people with low incomes and chronic health conditions. This must change.
Grattan Institute has previously published reports on reducing the out-of-pocket costs Australians face for healthcare. A 2018 report advocated for a universal dental care scheme, and previous reports also focused on fixing private healthcare insurance to help make private hospital care more affordable. Join us for a live webinar discussion on Monday 7 of March 2022 to hear from experts in the industry.
Continue learning about this topic with these free State Library Victoria online resources. All readings are available online for State Library Victoria members.
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- Out-of-pocket costs: hitting the most vulnerable hardest, by Stephen Duckett and Peter Breadon.
- The problem with private payment for healthcare, by Stephen Duckett.
- Patients’ out-of-pocket spending on Medicare services, by Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
- Healthcare’s out-of-pocket crisis, by Jennifer Doggett.
- Addressing out of pocket costs in Australia, by Jennifer Doggett.
- Variations in out-of-pocket costs for primary care services across Australia: a regional analysis, by Emily Callander, Sarah Larkins and Lisa Corscadden.
- Out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure and chronic disease - do Australians forgo care because of the cost?, by Emily Callander, Lisa Corscadden and Jean-Frederic Levesque
- Out of pocket costs for senior Australians, by Tim Adair.
About the Policy Pitch
The Policy Pitch is a seminar series featuring a panel of experts and critical thinkers as they tackle some of the most important problems facing Australia, from cultural hot-button topics to pressing social concerns. Join us for lively, intelligent and thoughtful debate on subjects that impact us all.
The Policy Pitch is a joint initiative of State Library Victoria and Grattan Institute, an independent think tank dedicated to developing high-quality public policy for Australia’s future.