Using data from Australian Taxation Statistics and Household Expenditure Surveys we analyze the distribution of health care financing in Australia over almost four decades. We compute Kakwani Progressivity indices for four sources of health care financing: general taxation, Medicare Levy payments, Medicare Levy Surcharge payments, and direct consumer payments, and estimate the effects of major policy changes on them. The results demonstrate that the first three of these sources of health care financing are progressive in Australia, while the distribution of direct payments is regressive. Surprisingly, we find that neither the introduction of Medicare in Australia in 1984 nor the Extended Medicare Safety Net in 2004 had significant effects on the progressivity of health care financing in Australia. By contrast, the Lifetime Cover scheme-introduced in 2000 to encourage people to buy and hold private health insurance-had a progressive effect on health care financing. © 2014 International Association for Research in Income and Wealth.

Health policy and equity of health care financing in australia: 1973-2010

Connelly, Luke Brian;
2014

Abstract

Using data from Australian Taxation Statistics and Household Expenditure Surveys we analyze the distribution of health care financing in Australia over almost four decades. We compute Kakwani Progressivity indices for four sources of health care financing: general taxation, Medicare Levy payments, Medicare Levy Surcharge payments, and direct consumer payments, and estimate the effects of major policy changes on them. The results demonstrate that the first three of these sources of health care financing are progressive in Australia, while the distribution of direct payments is regressive. Surprisingly, we find that neither the introduction of Medicare in Australia in 1984 nor the Extended Medicare Safety Net in 2004 had significant effects on the progressivity of health care financing in Australia. By contrast, the Lifetime Cover scheme-introduced in 2000 to encourage people to buy and hold private health insurance-had a progressive effect on health care financing. © 2014 International Association for Research in Income and Wealth.
2014
Hajizadeh, Mohammad; Connelly, LUKE BRIAN; Butler, James Robert Gerard
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/610893
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