1. HSC Multiple Choice: The Role of Health Care in Australia
Year Question Syllabus Link Answer
2014 6 How do Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme support the
principles of social justice?
(A) They are funded by the Australian government to supply health care
services.
(B) They provide resources only to those most in need of health services and
treatment.
(C) They allocate resources according to the needs of the population in order to
promote equality of health outcomes.
(D) They empower individuals and communities to be involved in planning and
decision making to achieve good health.
2013 1 What currently is the area of greatest health care expenditure in Australia?
(A) Research
(B) Hospitals
(C) Dental services
(D) Preventative health initiatives
5 Ancillary cover in private health insurance can assist with which of the
following costs?
(A) General practitioner fees
(B) Prescription and other medications
(C) Physiotherapy, dental services and optometry
(D) Treatment as a private patient in either a public or private hospital
6 What is a benefit of emerging medical technologies?
(A) They are readily accessible for all patients.
(B) They are inexpensive for public and private hospitals.
(C) They can provide a means of early detection.
(D) They decrease the need for Medicare and the Pharmaceuticals Benefits
Scheme.
2012 2 Who has primary responsibility for providing health care services such as
public hospitals and mental health facilities?
(A) State governments
(B) Local governments
(C) Federal government
(D) Non-government organisations
3 What is the most likely reason for the increase in the number of people
seeking alternative health care approaches in Australia?
(A) Greater availability of alternative health care in public hospitals
(B) Greater clinical effectiveness of alternative health care methods
(C) Increased provision of Medicare subsidies for alternative approaches to
health care
(D) Increased acceptance of alternative medicine by the community and medical
practitioners
5 Which government strategy would have the greatest potential to reduce long-
term health care expenditure?
(A) Increasing spending on emergency care in hospitals
(B) Directing more expenditure towards preventative health
(C) Providing rebates to people with private health insurance
(D) Allocating greater funding to improve existing curative health services

2. 9 What action has been taken to reduce the impact of an ageing population on
the health care system in Australia?
(A) Increasing the Medicare levy for older people
(B) Reducing funding available to carers of older people
(C) Encouraging older people to remain in the work force
(D) Decreasing access to the health system for older people
2011 4 What is Medicare?
(A) Australia’s main private health care provider
(B) Australia’s tax-funded national health care system
(C) Australia’s provider of publicly subsidised medication
(D) Australia’s health insurance provider for the disadvantaged
7 Which of the following is a benefit of emerging treatments and technologies in
health
care?
(A) Early detection of disease
(B) Reduced cost for health care
(C) Improved access to dental care
(D) Improved participation in screening procedures
2010 8 What are some features of Medicare?
(A) Bulk billing, ancillary cover
(B) Bulk billing, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
(C) Free treatment in public hospitals, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
(D) Free treatment in public hospitals, subsidised or free treatment by medical
practitioners

3. HSC Exams Pre-2010 (old syllabus)
The Role of Health Care in Australia
Year Question Syllabus link Answer
2009 4 What are the major benefits of having private health insurance?
(A) Reduced cost for dental care and reduced access to prescribed medications
(B) Improved access to private hospitals and free medical treatment
(C) Choice of doctor and reduced waiting times for surgery
(D) Choice of doctor and bulk billing options
2008 6 What effect will the current national trend in life expectancy have on the
funding of healthcare in Australia?
(A) The federal government will be able to decrease funding overall due to a
smaller population in the 50+ year age group
(B) State governments will have to increase funding for private health insurance
(C) Local governments will have to increase funding to build more hospitals
(D) The federal government will have to increase funding for aged care
9 Why did the Federal government introduce the Medicare Levy Surcharge?
(A) To decrease the cost of private health insurance
(B) To fund the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
(C) To encourage people to take out private hospital insurance
(D) To assist low income earners to meet the cost of insurance
2007 4 Who is responsible for the funding of Medicare?
(A) State government
(B) Local government
(C) Federal government
(D) Private health insurance
2006 The sectors in the pie graph represent total health expenditure by
Commonwealth government, state government and non-government agencies
in Australia in 2001–2002.
Which initiative is funded by sector Y?
(A) NSW Driver Reviver program
(B) Sun Herald City to Surf fun run
(C) National Drug Strategic Framework
(D) Community before- and after-school care program
2005 2 Which of the following best explains why the Federal Government has
increased its focus on health promotion?
(A) There is a desire to decrease the infant mortality rate in Australia.
(B) There are high costs associated with treating preventable diseases.
(C) There is little need for health care expenditure, given Australia’s current
health status.
(D) There are more people with low socioeconomic status who are experiencing
better health.

4. 3 Which of the following represents two health-care facilities?
(A) Doctor and dentist
(B) Nursing home and physiotherapist
(C) Sexual health clinic and hospital
(D) Youth centre and pathology
7 Which of the following government initiatives has resulted in the greatest
increase in the number of Australians covered by private health insurance since
1990?
(A) The ‘lifetime health cover’ arrangements
(B) An increase in the number of doctors who bulk bill their patients
(C) The reduction in the Medicare levy for people who have private health
insurance
(D) The 2.5% tax levy on the taxable income of high-income earners without
private
health insurance
9 The graph shows the allocated health expenditure per person by age and sex
in Australia,
2000–2001.
What are the implications for future health expenditure, based on the
information provided in the graph?
(A) Expenditure for females will be lower than for males.
(B) Private health insurance will reduce health expenditure.
(C) More funds will be needed for hospitals and aged-care facilities.
(D) Lifestyle diseases will be less likely to appear until after 65 years of age.
2004 5 Which of the following has the greatest impact on state government health
expenditure?
(A) Public hospitals
(B) Medical services
(C) Pharmaceutical services
(D) Private hospitals
2003 6 What was the main outcome intended by the Federal Government when
introducing the
Lifetime Health Insurance Incentive and the 30% rebate on private health
insurance?
(A) To allow more people to choose their own doctor
(B) To decrease the financial burden on the public health system
(C) To redistribute health costs from the private sector to the public sector
(D) To reward those who have private health insurance
2002 2 What is the main reason for the growth in the use of alternative medicine in
the past ten
years in Australia?
(A) Alternative medicine guarantees success.
(B) Alternative medicine is covered by Medicare.
(C) Alternative medicine produces no apparent side effects.
(D) Alternative medicine provides a holistic view of health.

5. 7 Which of the following government initiatives best represents social justice
principles in
action?
(A) Bulk billing
(B) Pharmaceutical benefits scheme
(C) Private health insurance rebate
(D) Private health insurance lifetime cover

6. 7 Which of the following government initiatives best represents social justice
principles in
action?
(A) Bulk billing
(B) Pharmaceutical benefits scheme
(C) Private health insurance rebate
(D) Private health insurance lifetime cover