Australia
AU
Healthcare System
Medicare provides universal access to hospital care (public hospitals) and subsidized medical services (MBS) and prescription drugs (PBS). Private health insurance covers private hospital care and extras (dental, optical, physio). Funded by Medicare Levy (2% of income) plus general taxation.
- System Type
- Universal single-payer (Medicare) with supplementary private insurance
- Regulatory Body
- TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) — federal drug and medical device regulator under Dept of Health and Aged Care
- Data Protection
- Privacy Act 1988 (Cth); Australian Privacy Principles (APPs); My Health Record Act 2012
- Currency
- AUD
- Emergency Number
- 000
- Languages
- en
Coding Systems
diagnosis
ICD-10-AM
ICD-10 Australian Modification. Maintained by IHPA (Independent Hospital Pricing Authority) and AIHW. 12th edition (2022). Used for inpatient hospital coding. Also used in the UAE (AE).
dental
ADA Item Numbers
Procedure item numbers developed by the Australian Dental Association (ADA). Used for billing and insurance claims. Not equivalent to US CDT codes. Tooth notation: FDI (ISO 3950).
procedures
ACHI
Australian Classification of Health Interventions — companion to ICD-10-AM for inpatient procedure coding. Published together as ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS (Australian Coding Standards).
medicare Items
MBS Item Numbers
Medicare Benefits Schedule item numbers for medical services (GP, specialist, diagnostics). Used for Medicare claiming. Not equivalent to CPT.
drugs
ARTG number
Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) entry number. Each product approved by TGA has a unique ARTG number. PBS item codes used for subsidized drugs under Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Translation Corridors
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