Private hospitals split over industry’s demand for emergency funding

The country’s private hospital sector is split over a proposal from the biggest operators to slug patients with higher fees if the government or insurers do not give them more funding to keep facilities open, with some major operators warning the move will drive more people into the public system.

Martin Bowles, chief executive at Calvary Health Care and former Health Department secretary, said a request by the Australian Private Hospitals Association for emergency funding would not solve the industry’s problems.