Australian health policy on access to medical care for refugees and asylum seekers

Ignacio Correa-Velez*, Sandra M. Gifford, Sara J. Bice

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

52 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Since the tightening of Australian policy for protection visa applicants began in the 1990s, access to health care has been increasingly restricted to asylum seekers on a range of different visa types. This paper summarises those legislative changes and discusses their implications for health policy relating to refugees and asylum seekers in Australia. Of particular concern are asylum seekers on Bridging Visas with no work rights and no access to Medicare. The paper examines several key questions: What is the current state of play, in terms of health screening and medical care policies, for asylum seekers and refugees? Relatedly, how has current policy changed from that of the past? How does Australia compare with other countries in relation to health policy for asylum seekers and refugees? These questions are addressed with the aim of providing a clear description of the current situation concerning Australian health policy on access to medical care for asylum seekers and refugees. Issues concerning lack of access to appropriate health care and related services are raised, ethical and practical issues are explored, and current policy gaps are investigated.

Original languageEnglish
Article number23
JournalAustralia and New Zealand Health Policy
Volume2
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Oct 2005
Externally publishedYes

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