Australia's healthcare system

• To make healthcare affordable for all Australians
• To give all Australians  access to healthcare services
• To provide high quality care

By the commonwealth government, through the Medicare levy, administrated alongside income tax

funded by the federal government through a medicare levy surcharge (1.5% of taxable income) Australian tax payers have to pay 1% surcharge with the levy if they don't have private health insurance

the government subsidises the cost of medicine for most medical conditions, provides vital medication at affordable prices

an extra health insurance/policy that individuals and families can purchase to cover health services not covered by Medicare

30% rebate - under this scheme policy holders receive 30 per cent rebate on their premiums

medicare levy - people earning more than $100 000 a year pay an extra one per cent of their income as a Medicare surcharge if they don't have private health insurance

Lifetime cover - people who take up private health insurance after the age of 30 pay an extra two per cent on their premiums for every year they are over the age of 30