Private health system in a 'death spiral', says expert, but what can be done to save it? | pwhatch Dana_Adele
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.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ban OneFour? Ok, boomerComment: It's true enough that censorship doesn't work when it comes to music, writes BernardZuel
Read more »
This Wallaroo overcame webbed toes, injuries and mental health issues to live her dreamAs a child, Rebecca Clough had no options to play rugby union but never gave up on her dream. She's now the joint-most-capped Wallaroo and believes the Barbarians women's team is a significant move for the sport.
Read more »
How the welfare system let these two toddlers downThe death of two little girls in a hot car last weekend led many to question why authorities hadn’t intervened sooner.
Read more »
Talking through the generations: Why Australia is known as a 'graveyard of languages'Migrant languages tend to disappear by the third generation. It's an alarming trend — and one these people are fighting.
Read more »
Pakistan do teenagers no favours with baptisms of fireHaving a teenage debutant is great for the story. Turns out it's a little less great in practice, writes Geoff Lemon.
Read more »
Multiple people injured in Hague stabbing, suspect on the runDutch police say multiple people have been wounded in a stabbing incident in The Hague's main shopping street with a man in a grey jogging suit being sought.
Read more »