Medi-Nav Orientation Resource v6, 2024

| 3 1.3.1 Private health insurance Australia’s health system is sometimes described as a ‘mixed system’, because the private system in most cases operates parallel services with the public system. Australian permanent residents and citizens may be provided with coverage by private health insurance for some or all the costs of being a private patient either in a public or private hospital. Depending on the level of cover negotiated with a health fund, it may also contribute to the costs of health services not covered by Medicare, such as dental treatment, chiropractic treatment, home nursing, podiatry, physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy, optical services, prostheses and other ancillary services. Private health insurance is optional in Australia, with many health insurance companies offering a variety of insurance options. For further information about private health insurance, visit: https://www.privatehealth.gov.au | 15