Medicare is Australia’s publicly funded universal health care system, providing residents with access to free or subsidised medical services and hospital care . Established in 1984, it is funded partly through general taxation and a dedicated Medicare levy on taxpayers’ income . While Medicare is not an employer-provided benefit, it intersects with employment through the tax and payroll system (e.g. employers withhold the Medicare levy as part of PAYG tax). In an HR context, Medicare underpins employee health coverage nationally, and employers often acknowledge its role when considering overall benefits – some may offer supplemental private health insurance, but the baseline health security for workers is assured by Medicare’s coverage and funding model.
