Current and former SSN grants and projects

Medicare is one of the pillars of Australian civic society—it is emblematic of the Australian tradition of state intervention to promote the health and well-being of its citizens. The future viability of the public health system is among the most pressing problems facing our nation. We are familiar with concerns about the ageing population, and the increased pressure on under- resourced public hospitals. Recently, we have heard much about the rising cost and unsustainability of a private health care system that is subsidised by the state to the tune of $6 billion annually, yet continues to be abandoned at an alarming rate by unsatisfied customers. This project aims to provide insights into future directions for Australian public health policy by enhancing understanding of links between service access and efficacy and the status of Medicare as a cultural entity. It will: 1) use surveys to examine the impact of attitudes to Medicare on healthcare setting behaviour, 2) study the economic arguments underpinning the role of Medicare in Australia, 3) examine the policy history of health funding, 4) conduct a cultural history of Medicare, 5) study representations and perceptions of Medicare as a brand, and 6) study health policy reportage in Australian media from 1980 to present.

The Team: Dr Carolyn Holbrook (lead CI, pictured), Prof David Lowe, Prof Catherine Bennett, Dr Paul Crosland, Prof Matthew Ricketson, Dr Richie Barker

A collaboration between School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Health and Social Development, and the School of Communication and Creative Arts