Identify one major difference between the two countries healthcare systems?
Australia
Australian health care system runs through government institution and privately fund and it has a wide variety of services accessible to help Australian people. Australia has good health care services for its citizens compare to Greece health system because Australia has a Universal Medical Cover, which is called Medicare. Australian people get into these health services through a Medicare and the department of health services operates this service. Every citizen of Australia has one this card. Medicare helps them to access:
General practitioners (GP)
Emergency health services
Dentists
Optometrists
Community health
Palliative care
Rehabilitation and hospital care
The local general practitioners and emergency departments are the main gateways to other services, including specialist consultation, diagnostic tests, hospital admission, and inpatient cares. Under the Medicare system, most people will be covered for 100 % of the cost of inpatient care (state funded hospitals) and up to 75% of the cost of primary care services. If anyone wants to go specialists or private clinic, Medicare will cover the costs incurred up to the level of a state hospital. The rest of the costs will either have to be topped up by himself/herself or with a private insurance policy. In the case of medicine, Medicare will contribute towards the costs on a “co-pay” basis, with the top rate of $38.30. This is the most you will pay per prescription. The Australian government will cover any further costs. For those on a low income, the rate (as of January 2016) is $6.20. The Australian government will cover any further charges (Health direct. (2018).
Greece:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been graded Greece’s health care system, as one of the best and cost is the lowest among the European Union Countries. The Greek Health Care System is a mixed system with numerous social insurance funds existing with the National Health System (NSY). Healthcare in Greece provides throughout national health insurance and delivers public health services. Medicines are also extremely funded since only 25% of the actual cost of the prescriptions is charged regardless of nationality. Emergency care is offered free of charge in public hospitals to people, regardless of nationality. However, Greece has primary, secondary and tertiary public health care system, which is managed by 7 Regional Health Authorities, run by Executive Officers who report to the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity (Economou et al., 2017).
The Healthcare system in Greece provides by a combination of public and private health service providers, and the system is generally divided into primary and secondary and Tertiary system. Primary health care is provided throughout the National Health System including rural health surgeries and rural health centres as well as public hospital outpatient departments. Primary healthcare services are also extensively provided by the private sector is including physicians in private practice who are under contract with one or more insurance funds (Healthcare in Greece, 2018).
The secondary and tertiary health care is provided by National Health System hospitals, private clinics or other non-ESY public hospitals. According to the type of services they offer, Greek hospitals are categorised as either general or specialised (Healthcare in Greece, 2018).
References:
Economou. C., Kaitelidou. D., Karanikolos. M., Maresso. A. (2017). Greece Health Care System. Retrieved 21 October 2018 from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/373695/hit-greece-eng.pdfHealth direct. (2018). Australian Health Care System. Retrieved 21 October 2018 from https://www.healthdirect.gov.auHealthcare in Greece. (2018). Greece Health Care System. Retrieved 21 October 2018 from https://www.allianzworldwidecare.com
