Can an American get free healthcare in Australia, generally no, because there is no Reciprocal Health Care Agreement between USA and Australia, unlike 11 countries that have RHCA with Australia. Americans visiting Australia as tourists must pay for healthcare, with GP $80 to $120 per visit, emergency department $500 to $1,000, public hospital bed $1,500 to $2,500 per day, unless they have travel insurance or Overseas Visitor Health Cover that pays. Americans cannot enrol in Medicare as tourist, so no free healthcare. However, public hospital emergency departments will treat Americans in emergency regardless of ability to pay, but they will be billed later, so not free. For Americans living in Australia as permanent residents or citizens, yes they get free healthcare via Medicare, including free public hospital treatment and subsidised GP and prescriptions, paying 2% Medicare levy, same as Australians. Americans on temporary visas like 482 skilled temporary cannot get free Medicare unless they become permanent. So short answer is tourist American cannot get free healthcare in Australia, must have insurance, but American who becomes permanent resident gets free Medicare public hospital and subsidised GP like Australians. For emergency, treatment provided but billed. So travel insurance essential for Americans visiting Australia.
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