Health care economics. Part 2: The Australian health care "jigsaw".

In this article we look at how the health care industry is organised in Australia and make some international comparisons. First, we examine how Australia has reached the present, rather confusing set of arrangements--what the Macklin inquiry has called the health "jigsaw". Then we outline the current arrangements--how responsibilities are divided between local, state and federal governments; and the contribution of the private sector. Finally, we present international data to provide some comparative perspective on Australia's health care arrangements.