Yesterday
Health insurers tricking members with secret premium rises: Labor
Health Minister Mark Butler says insurers are exploiting a loophole that allows them to charge hundreds more by replacing products with more expensive new ones.
- Michael Smith
- Exclusive
- Healthcare
Doctors say health insurers have too much control over home care
The AMA is warning that Australia is at risk of adopting “US-style managed care” where insurance companies call all the shots.
- Michael Smith
This Month
Mark Butler’s health problem with no fix
The health minister is in the middle of an almighty fight between private hospitals and the health insurers, and he’s facing a difficult decision in the lead up to the election.
- Michael Smith
‘Delay’, ‘depose’ inscribed in bullets in CEO murder
The inscriptions loosely echo the book title “Delay, Deny, Defend”, which describes tactics allegedly used by insurers to deny claims.
- Myles Miller, John Lauerman and Robert Langreth
Private hospitals split over industry’s demand for emergency funding
Two not-for-profit groups say they are opposed to calls from bigger players like Ramsay Health Care for more money, or the introduction of $200 visit fees.
- Michael Smith
- Exclusive
- Healthcare
Private hospitals want $200 per visit fee to head off funding crisis
Operators of major private health facilities say it is their only option if they aren’t handed $1.3 billion in emergency funding by the federal government
- Michael Smith
- Opinion
- Hospitals
Independent hospital pricing an opportunity for genuine health reform
The reality is private hospitals need fairer agreements with health funds. Providers, insurers, and government need to start a conversation.
- Martin Bowles
- Opinion
- Opinion
Treating health funds like cash cows will be a disaster for our health system
If we want a sustainable private system, the next federal government must focus on reforms that put consumers before vested interests, to keep health insurance affordable.
- Rachel David
Insurers warn of premium hikes after losing NSW bed rate battle
Private health insurers have caved to pressure from the Minns government to pay higher hospital bed rates following a protracted campaign.
- Michael Smith
November
Insurance chief Mark Fitzgibbon’s lessons from Ted Lasso
NIB’s veteran CEO talks about his battle with hospitals and politicians, and his realisation that a healthy life is finite.
- Michael Smith
Young people pile into private health insurance
A surge in young people taking up private health cover drove membership to a record high in the September quarter, despite a cost-of-living crisis.
- Michael Smith
- Exclusive
- Healthcare
Hospitals to pressure Labor to link nurse pay hikes with premiums
Operators including Brookfield-owned Healthscope and ASX-listed Ramsay Health Care want the radical change and say facilities will close if they are not funded.
- Updated
- Michael Smith and James Thomson
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Patients deserve better than jingoistic private health war
Hospital operators and health insurers love ramping up the rhetoric. But the long-term problems of health policy in this country aren’t getting fixed.
- James Thomson
Health insurers warn of closures without 6pc premium hike
Health funds have asked Labor to allow big premium rises as the amount they charge policyholders is not keeping pace with healthcare inflation.
- Michael Smith
The woman defending the industry everyone loves to hate
Private health insurers are being derided all around, but their chief lobbyist, Rachel David, insists they make our medical system the envy of the Americans and British.
- Michael Smith
Health insurer NIB warns profit to fall up to 10pc as NZ claims soar
The company’s admission comes a day before submissions are due to the federal government about premium increases for the coming year.
- Updated
- Michael Smith
Brookfield’s Healthscope secures extension on $1.6b debt
The private hospital operator has been given more time from its lenders to secure extra funding from insurers as costs mount.
- Michael Smith
Health insurer salaries in the spotlight as premiums climb
The salaries of Australia’s big health insurance bosses are rising with their profits.
- Michael Smith
October
- Exclusive
- Healthcare
Healthscope vows to terminate Bupa deal if it does not accept fees
Healthscope has written to Bupa asking it to amend its contract to let it slug members with extra hospital fees.
- Michael Smith
Healthscope to slug Bupa members $100 extra for hospital stays
Six million Australian health fund members will be forced to pay higher charges to use the services of the country’s second-largest private hospital group.
- Michael Smith
