Providing and financing aged care in Australia

oviding and financing aged care in Australia Original Research (3026) Total Article Views Authors: Ergas H, Paolucci F Published Date June 2011 Volume 2011:4 Pages 67 - 80 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S16718 Henry Ergas1,2, Francesco Paolucci3 1University 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, Australia Abstract: 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.