Australia's private health insurance system is facing mounting costs due to prolonged hospital stays of patients experiencing severe long COVID symptoms. The analysis reveals a significant increase in expensive claims, raising concerns about the long-term impact of COVID-19 on both individuals and the healthcare system.
Private health insurers in Australia are grappling with a rising tide of costly hospital stays due to patients experiencing severe long COVID symptoms. Analysis of claims data reveals that nearly half a million hospital stays cost private health funds $10,000 or more in 2023, a significant 8% increase from the previous year. The most expensive claim topped $785,000, highlighting the substantial financial burden of these prolonged hospitalizations.
Among the most concerning cases are those involving individuals suffering from long COVID complications. A woman in her 80s endured a 100-day hospital stay, while another man's four-month ordeal cost his insurer $70,000. These represent some of the most severe long COVID cases seen in Australian private hospitals. The Private Health Australia, the peak body representing health funds, expressed particular concern about the wide-ranging effects of long COVID on various body systems, not just respiratory illnesses. The analysis also revealed a worrying trend of high claims related to spinal fusion surgeries, with 13 cases costing more than $180,000 despite the procedure. Experts stress that while these represent extreme cases, they underscore the significant strain COVID-19 places on individuals and the healthcare system. Professor Martin Hensher, a health economist at the University of Tasmania, points out that the long-term impact of COVID-19 remains uncertain, but the high hospitalization costs warrant attention and action. He highlights the need for better data collection on the prevalence of long COVID to fully grasp the scale of the problem and develop effective strategies to manage it. The St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, which operates a long COVID clinic, is receiving increasing requests for assistance from employers and insurers struggling to support employees affected by long COVID. Experts emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary, coordinated treatment plans to help these individuals recover and return to work. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has allocated $14.5 million for long COVID research, with the aim of generating knowledge to support new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches
LONG COVID HEALTH COSTS HOSPITALIZATION AUSTRALIA PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE
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