AUSTRALIA HEALTH and SOCIAL SECURITY

Australian people enjoy a high level of good health. The nation has quality housing, water and sanitation, and adequate supply of food and medicines. Health care in Australia follows technical and scientific skills used to prevent, examine and treat ill-health.

Government regulation sets and controls the standard for health care in Australia.
The government of Australia has played an important role in advancing social services. Programs for assistance for people who are sick, aged, widowed, or unemployed exist. Maternity allowance is paid to mothers irrespective of their income, and an endowment for children less than 16 years of age is payable to parents or other persons in custody.

Australia’s public health services are two tiered: Primary Care provided by medical practitioners and Comprehensive Services provided by hospital systems {public and private}. Medicare, a universal health insurance scheme, gives Australian residents protection against hospital costs, medical and eye care.

Public hospitals are open to people sent there by a doctor. Large hospitals are located in all state capital cities. Small hospitals are located in regional and rural parts of Australia. Private hospitals exist to offer people a choice of doctor. The government regulates and licenses private hospitals.

The Flying Doctor service provides medical service for persons in remote areas. The service has physicians operating from bases equipped with radio stations for communicating with distant ranches and settlements and a hospital, air-ambulance and nursing staff.

Community health centers deliver health support services and advice including vaccinations, health education and counseling.

Aged Care allows older people live a dignified life and helps them stay in their homes and independent for longer. Residential care provides care for those unable to care for themselves

The main beneficiaries of social security are the aged and disabled, single parents, those who are unemployed, sick or in special need, and families with children. Eligibility is subject to an income and /or means test. If you are found to have sufficient income or assets after a means test, your social security payments are reduced or terminated.

New migrants must wait 104 weeks before they can claim most social security payments, although refugees and humanitarian immigrants are exempt. Migrants can claim Medicare benefits, minimum rate of Family Payment, and in exceptional conditions special benefits and a widow’s allowance during a two year waiting period.

Benefits include child disability allowance, maternity allowance, double orphan pension, family tax payment, health care card, parenting or guardian allowance, ‘job-search’ or

‘New start’ allowance, sickness allowance etc. A discretionary payment may be paid to those who aren’t eligible for other forms of assistance.