Published in Longwoods, 16 June 2020

Download the paper

The evidence from Australia suggests that the community would not benefit from an expansion of private funding of healthcare.

In this paper for the international journal Healthcare Policy, Grattan Institute’s Health Program Director Stephen Duckett shows that the mixed public-private funding and provision has had a deleterious effect on the Australian hospital system.

He argues that, in contrast to the claims by proponents, increased private provision does not lead to improved access to public care to any significant extent, nor does it reduce waiting times.

It does, however, allow higher incomes for doctors and provides business opportunities for investors in private hospitals.

Download the paper