Health · Health admin and know-how
Cover Basics: how health insurance works in the US, UK and Australia
Six lessons built on official pages from Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, SHIP, the NHS, DHSC, the FCA, Services Australia, the Department of Health, privatehealth.gov.au, the ATO and Moneysmart. General education only: no policy or insurer recommendations.
About this course
How health insurance works: Medicare, private cover and the NHS.
Starter · About 1.25 hours of learning · 6 lessons · 18 quick checks · 1 download
Who it's for
Adults who want to understand how health insurance and public health cover work in the US, the UK or Australia.
How it works
6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time. You start with just your first name and email, and you can take one whole course that way. After that, a free account lets you continue past lesson 1.
Sources we rely on
48 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.
By the end you can
- Explain premium, deductible, copayment, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum and network
- Describe the parts of US Medicare and where to get free official help
- Describe US plan types, enrollment periods, and Medicaid and CHIP
- Explain NHS cover, NHS charges in England and how private care fits alongside
- Explain Australia’s Medicare, private cover, LHC and the Medicare levy surcharge
Downloads
- Cover comparison worksheet .xlsxKey terms in official words, a US plan comparison tab, a My cover summary, cost questions to ask, and official help services by country. No recommendations.
Rules by country
Learning time
About 1.25 hours of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.
Sources
Check the originals.
How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.
General information only, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or another qualified health professional about your situation. In an emergency call 000 (AU), 999 (UK), 911 (US/Canada) or 111 (NZ).
- Glossary: premium · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Glossary: deductible · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Glossary: copayment · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Glossary: coinsurance · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Glossary: out-of-pocket maximum/limit · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Glossary: network · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Parts of Medicare · Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- Get started with Medicare · Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- When does Medicare coverage start? · Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- Medicare costs · Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- Medicare Plan Finder · Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- Talk to someone · Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) · SHIP National Technical Assistance Center (ACL-funded, US)
- HealthCare.gov (Health Insurance Marketplace) · HealthCare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- See plans and prices · HealthCare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- Saving money on health insurance · HealthCare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US)
- Health insurance plan and network types · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Glossary: Open Enrollment Period · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Glossary: Special Enrollment Period · HealthCare.gov (US)
- Medicaid and CHIP · HealthCare.gov (US)
- The NHS Constitution for England · Department of Health and Social Care (UK)
- NHS prescription charges · NHS (UK)
- Understanding NHS dental charges · NHS (UK)
- Help with health costs · NHS (UK)
- Your choices in the NHS · NHS (UK)
- NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private care · Department of Health and Social Care (UK)
- How to complain · Financial Conduct Authority (UK)
- Medical insurance · Financial Ombudsman Service (UK)
- Medicare · Services Australia
- Enrolling in Medicare · Services Australia
- Medicare Safety Nets · Services Australia
- Private health insurance · Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- What private health insurance covers · Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Lifetime Health Cover · privatehealth.gov.au (Private Health Insurance Ombudsman)
- Medicare levy surcharge · Australian Taxation Office
- Private health insurance rebate · Australian Taxation Office
- Health insurance · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- privatehealth.gov.au · Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (Australian Government)
- Private Health Insurance complaints · Commonwealth Ombudsman (Private Health Insurance Ombudsman, Australia)
- Questions to ask your doctor · healthdirect (Australian Government-funded)
- Triple Zero (000) · Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
- Australian health services and 24-hour health advice line · healthdirect (Australian Government-funded)
- Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14 · Lifeline Australia
- When to call 999 · NHS (UK)
- NHS 111 online · NHS (UK)
- Contact a Samaritan: 116 123 · Samaritans (UK and Ireland)
- National 911 Program · 911.gov (US Government)
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline · 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US)
Publisher
Who publishes this course.
Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.
How it's made: researched from published official public-health and government guidance, then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. Read how these courses are made.
Last updated:
General information, not tax, accounting, legal or professional advice. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.
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