Providing and financing aged care in Australia

• Main Authors: Ergas H, Paolucci F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2011-06-01
• Series: Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
• Online Access: http://www.dovepress.com/providing-and-financing-aged-care-in-australia-a7576

Henry Ergas1,2, Francesco Paolucci31University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; 2Deloitte Australia, Brindabella Business Park, Canberra Airport, ACT, Australia; 3Australian Centre for Economic Research on Health, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, ACT, AustraliaAbstract: This article focuses on the provision and financing of aged care in Australia. Demand for aged care will increase substantially as a result of population aging, with the number of Australians aged 85 and over projected to increase from 400,000 in 2010 to over 1.8 million in 2051. Meeting this demand will greatly strain the current system, and makes it important to exploit opportunities for increased efficiency. A move to greater beneficiary co-payments is also likely, though its extent may depend on whether aged care insurance and other forms of pre-payment can develop.Keywords: aged care, long-term care, sustainability, residential care, community care