Health minister Greg Hunt says he's determined to keep funds' premiums increases to 3 per cent this year.But he has also backed one of the health funds' core ideas to bring down their hospital spending, by allowing them towhere costs are lower. The first stage of Hunt's policy - for mental health and orthopaedics - will launch by mid-2020 to allow funds to factor the changes into their 2021 premium rises.
Leanne Wells, chief executive of Consumers Health Forum of Australia, which advocates on behalf of patients and customers, also backs a Productivity Commission inquiry to examine how to ensure health insurance provides "value for consumers who use insurance and for the taxpayers who subsidise it”. According to the Grattan Institute's Duckett, the $6 billion a year spent subsiding the private sector through the insurance rebate is only money well spent if private hospitals are being run more efficiently than public hospitals and, on his analysis, they aren't.
“The whole industry needs to be looking at how we can make it more efficient. But the reality is, in this country as in every other country around the world ... health care costs rise at a faster rate," he says. “If Australia wants to start to rationalise services - not provide some services that the community expects - sure, that’s a way we can save costs in the system, but I don’t think the population will find that acceptable.
pwhatch Dana_Adele It's probably too late now but premium increases should have been capped at real wages growth not at inflation rate increases. One possible solution is to introduce a tender-like process for medical professionals & service providers for non-critical & elective medical procedures.
pwhatch Dana_Adele Why would you want to?
pwhatch Dana_Adele Ok, might be a little controversial but let Private Insurers reintroduce cover for Doctors, Specialists etc. if someone wants to take full cover privately then they don’t pay Medicare levy. At the moment people are paying for private cover and Medicare which is unattractive cost
pwhatch Dana_Adele start investigating the doctors and the private hospitals regarding over servicing
pwhatch Dana_Adele 1. Have same rules of governance across all hospitals not just public 2. Restrict operating times from 0730 to 2000 hrs 3. Restrict charges above private insurance to $2500 for whole of admission and first visit post op 4. establish genuine partnerships with public hospitals
pwhatch Dana_Adele Provide a value for money product customers want?
pwhatch Dana_Adele Remember Means Testing before you were hospitalised at no charge to you. Bring that back and problem solved.
pwhatch Dana_Adele health insurers should join together CAPPED specialist fees n out of pockets Gov has d power to dictate PBS drug prices Similar cap should apply say max double Medicare fees All priv hosp must have uniform charges Not negotiation by funds
pwhatch Dana_Adele Maybe a good start will be to stop contracting all the jobs out (?)
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