Editing Medicare (Australia) (section)

===Health insurance prior to Medibank===
From early in the European history of Australia, [[friendly societies]] provided most health insurance which was widely adopted.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The History of General Practice in Australia - Early Federation Era |url=http://www.gp.org.au/EarlyFederation.html |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=www.gp.org.au |archive-date=18 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018102655/http://www.gp.org.au/EarlyFederation.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The states and territories operated hospitals, asylums and other institutions for sick and disabled people not long after their establishment, replicating the predominant model of treatment in the [[United Kingdom]]. These institutions were often large and residential. Many individuals and groups ran private hospitals, both for profit and not-for-profit. These were particularly active in providing maternity care.

A royal commission into friendly societies was held in NSW in 1870–74, which was followed by new legislation in 1875.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Royal Commission Upon the Working of the Friendly Societies Act, 37 Vic No4, and to Report Generally on the Character and Operations of the Friendly Societies of New South Wales - Report (NSW Pp 1883 (v3 - First Session) 193-742) [1882] NSWRoyalC 3 (13 December 1882) |url=https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/other/nsw/NSWRoyalC/1882/3.html |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=www.austlii.edu.au}}</ref>

An 1876 British Empire royal commission into friendly societies considered the establishment of Victorian colony-run health insurance, and decided against it.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-22 |title=Getting a Grip: the Roles of Friendly Societies in Australia and Britain Reappraised {{!}} History Cooperative |url=https://historycooperative.org/journal/getting-a-grip-the-roles-of-friendly-societies-in-australia-and-britain-reappraised/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Another NSW friendly society royal commission was held in 1882. It found that the welfare of 175,000 people in the colony was insured by the societies.<ref name=":7" />

If a worker was injured at work, there was no statutory requirement for the employer to pay compensation to the injured person. Compensation was only paid if the worker successfully sued their employer for negligence. They were rarely successful. The UK's ''Employment Liability Act 1880'' aimed to improve the workers' success in court, and was enacted in the Australian colonies between 1882 and 1895. The injured workers remained largely unsuccessful.<ref name="safeworkaustralia.gov.au">https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/book/comparison-wc-arrangements-29ed/chapter-1</ref>

The South Australian government passed the ''Workmens’ Compensation Act 1900'',<ref>https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/book/comparison-wc-arrangements-29ed/chapter-1/sa</ref> and over the next 20 years, the other states and territories followed. These laws required businesses to pay men who were injured while working for them.

The ''Invalid and Old-Age Pensions Act 1908 (Cth)'' provided a pension to people "permanently incapacitated for work" and unable to be supported by their families, providing they also met race and other requirements.<ref>{{cite web |title=Invalid and Old-age Pensions Act 1908 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C1908A00017 |website=www.legislation.gov.au |date=10 June 1908 |language=en |access-date=27 July 2022 |archive-date=25 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525091541/https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C1908A00017 |url-status=live }}</ref> This provided money that recipients could spend on their care and assistance.

In 1913, 46% of Australians were covered by friendly societies, with the figure rising to 50% in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Australia's friendly history |url=https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/australia-s-friendly-history |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=Pursuit |language=en}}</ref> These societies employed many pharmacists and early-career doctors.<ref name=":8" />

The federal government's Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme was established in 1919 for Australian servicemen and women who had served in the Boer War and World War I. This allowed them to receive certain pharmaceuticals for free. In 1926, the Royal Commission on Health found that [[National Insurance (Australia)|a national health insurance scheme]] should be established.<ref>{{Cite thesis |title=Health, Welfare and the State: A study of the 1925 Australian Royal Commission on Health |url=https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/13811 |date=2014-01-01 |degree=Thesis |language=en |first=Ann |last=Waters}}</ref> Legislation to do so was tabled in parliament in 1928, 1938 and 1946, but did not pass each time. It was strongly opposed by the friendly societies and medical practitioners.<ref>{{cite book |title=Adventures in Health Risk: A History of Australian Health Insurance |date=2007 |publisher=Institute of Actuaries of Australia |page=3 |url=https://www.actuaries.asn.au/Library/1.f_Conv07_Paper_Gale_Adventures%20in%20Health%20Risk.pdf |access-date=29 December 2020 |archive-date=15 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715205511/https://www.actuaries.asn.au/Library/1.f_Conv07_Paper_Gale_Adventures%20in%20Health%20Risk.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

NSW introduced a requirement for businesses to have worker injury insurance in 1926, which made it more likely injured workers would receive compensation from their employer. The other states and territories followed.<ref name="safeworkaustralia.gov.au"/>

From 1935 to the 1970s, paid [[sick leave]] was gradually introduced into federal employment awards until 10 days sick leave per year (with unused days rolling over into future years) became standard.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australia's industrial relations timeline |url=https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/legislation/the-fair-work-system/australias-industrial-relations-timeline#nineteen-thirty-five |website=Fair Work Ombudsman |access-date=4 August 2022 |archive-date=5 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005182734/https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/legislation/the-fair-work-system/australias-industrial-relations-timeline#nineteen-thirty-five }}</ref>

In 1941 the [[Curtin government]] passed the [[Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme|Pharmaceutical Benefits Act]], however it was [[Attorney-General (Vic) ex rel Dale v Commonwealth|struck down as unconstitutional by the High Court in 1945]].

Another Curtin government action in 1941 was the beginning of the "Vocational Training Scheme for Invalid Pensioners". This provided [[occupational therapy]] and allied services to people who were not permanently incapacitated, to help them gain employment. In 1948, this body became the [[Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service]], and its work continued.<ref>{{cite web |date=2016-01-26 |title=Service Delivery in CRS Australia |url=https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/service-delivery-crs-australia |website=www.anao.gov.au |language=en |access-date=27 July 2022 |archive-date=27 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727225700/https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/service-delivery-crs-australia }}</ref>

Under the [[Chifley government]] Hospital Benefits Act 1945, participating states and territories provided public hospital ward treatment free of charge. Non-public ward treatment for people with health insurance was subsidised by the Commonwealth. This led to an increase in the number of Australians covered by private health insurance plans.<ref name="Routledge">{{cite book |title=Market limits in health reform: public success, private failure |date=1999 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=0-415-20236-1}}</ref>

Then from 1946, Queensland's [[Frank Cooper (politician)|Cooper government]] introduced free public hospital treatment in that state.<ref name="Routledge"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71426103|title=Free Hospital Treatment|date=7 January 1946|newspaper=[[The Worker (Brisbane)|The Worker]]|issue=3051|location=Brisbane|volume=56 |page=10|via=National Library of Australia|access-date=16 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/qld/hist_act/hbaao194510gvn2363/|title=Hospital Benefits Agreement Act of 1945 (10 Geo VI, No 2)|publisher=Australasian Legal Information Institute|access-date=16 January 2017}}</ref> This was retained by future Queensland governments.

A [[1946 Australian referendum (Social Services)|1946 referendum]] changed the constitution so that the federal government could more clearly fund a range of social services including "pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services."

And so in 1948, the establishment of the [[Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme]] (PBS) expanded the earlier ex-soldier only scheme to all Australians. The Labor government who introduced this had hoped to introduce further national healthcare measures like those of Britain's [[National Health Service]]; however, they were voted out of office in 1949, before they had sufficient Senate support to pass the legislation. The incoming [[Menzies government (1949–1966)|Menzies government]] wound back the PBS, with it continuing in a more limited form than originally planned.

In 1950, the Menzies government established the ''Pensioner Medical Service'', providing free GP services and medicines for pensioners (including widows) and their dependants.<ref>{{cite web |title=A compendium of legislative changes in social security 1908–1982 |url=https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/05_2012/op12.pdf |access-date=22 November 2020 |archive-date=1 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001113239/https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/05_2012/op12.pdf }}</ref> (This was enabled by the Social Services Consolidation Act (No 2) 1948).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Social Services Consolidation Act (No 2) 1948 (NO. 69, 1948) |url=http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/num_act/ssca21948691948357/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=classic.austlii.edu.au |archive-date=10 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710000445/http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/num_act/ssca21948691948357/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[National Health Act 1953]] reformed the health insurance industry and the way hospitals received federal funding. Health Minister, Dr [[Earle Page]], said that these changes would "provide an effective bulwark against the socialisation of medicine."<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Graycar|first1=A. F.|last2=Junor|first2=C. W.|date=1970|title=The Anatomy of a Health Scheme|journal=The Australian Quarterly|volume=42|issue=3|pages=48–64|doi=10.2307/20634381|jstor=20634381|issn=0005-0091}}</ref> The federal government began to offer some subsidy for all private health insurance funded services.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The History of General Practice in Australia - The post-war period |url=http://www.gp.org.au/PostWar.html |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=www.gp.org.au |archive-date=27 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727100652/http://www.gp.org.au/PostWar.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The very poor received free health care.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Deeble |first=J.S. |date=1969-10-01 |title=Meeting the rising costs of health |journal=The Round Table |volume=59 |issue=236 |pages=414–422 |doi=10.1080/00358536908452839 |issn=0035-8533}}</ref> In 1953, private health insurance covered all but 17% of Australians.<ref>{{cite book |title=Adventures in Health Risk: A History of Australian Health Insurance |date=2007 |publisher=Institute of Actuaries of Australia |page=4 |url=https://www.actuaries.asn.au/Library/1.f_Conv07_Paper_Gale_Adventures%20in%20Health%20Risk.pdf |access-date=29 December 2020 |archive-date=15 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715205511/https://www.actuaries.asn.au/Library/1.f_Conv07_Paper_Gale_Adventures%20in%20Health%20Risk.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> By 1969, 30% of all private health insurance costs were being paid by the federal government.<ref name=":2" /> While the creators of the 1953 scheme had intended that the subsidised private health insurance would fund 90% of health costs, it only covered between 65 and 70% between 1953 and 1969.<ref name=":2" />

In 1969, the Commonwealth Committee of Inquiry into Health Insurance (the "[[John Nimmo (judge)|Nimmo]] Enquiry") recommended a new national health scheme.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PP no. 2 of 1969 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2772240571 |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=Trove |language=en |archive-date=10 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710000512/https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2772240571/view |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Gorton government]] under Health Minister, [[Jim Forbes (Australian politician)|Dr Jim Forbes]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22library/lcatalog/10134931%22 |title=ParlInfo - Health insurance: Report of the Commonwealth Committee of Enquiry |access-date=31 January 2022 |archive-date=7 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207043722/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22library/lcatalog/10134931%22 }}</ref> provided free private health insurance for the unemployed, seriously ill workers (on sickness benefit), the severely disabled (on special benefit), new migrants, and households on a single minimum wage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1969/1970, PP no. 185 of 1970|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2772535082|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Trove|language=en|archive-date=10 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710000525/https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2772535082/view|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0">Hancock, Ian (2002). John Gorton: He Did It His Way. Hodder, p.211-21, 256.</ref> In September 1969 the National Health Act was amended,<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Health Act 1969 (NO. 102, 1969)|url=http://classic.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/legis/cth/num_act/nha19691021969174/nha19691021969174.html?stem=0&synonyms=0&query=national%20health%20act%201969#disp0|access-date=2022-02-01|website=classic.austlii.edu.au|archive-date=2 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202001452/http://classic.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/legis/cth/num_act/nha19691021969174/nha19691021969174.html?stem=0&synonyms=0&query=national%20health%20act%201969#disp0|url-status=live}}</ref> and the scheme came into effect on 1 January 1970.<ref name=":0" />

In 1972, 17% of Australians outside of Queensland had no health insurance, most of whom were on low incomes.<ref name="Routledge"/>