( ivate hospitals share the frustration o...)Australian Health funds stand accused,Health

ivate hospitals share the frustration of health insurers being able to put their premiums up by 7 per cent a year with nothing to be shown for it by the end of the year,' the spokesman said.

'When premiums for consumers go up 7-8 per cent, hospitals get about 2 per cent from health funds. This is in an environment of health CPI (consumer price index) running at 2.5 times the average CPI.'

In the past year, the two biggest funds, Medibank Private and MBF, both delivered profits of more $120 million.

Medibank spokeswoman Trish Hyde said the $120 million, put into perspective, represented 'about three weeks worth of claims'. 'We're not talking about large margins,' she said.

Mr. Abbott said no one liked to see health premiums go up. 'The funds are only allowed to increase premiums to the extent strictly necessary to maintain services and preserve capital adequacy,' he said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Julia Gillard said the Government's approval of the latest request to increase premiums would mean a 40 per cent increase over the past five years. 'These increases, in dollar terms, wipe out the contribution of the Government's rebate, even at the higher levels now provided for older Australians,' Ms Gillard said.

Australian Health Insurance Association chief executive Michael Armitage said an increase of 5-7 per cent was a figure 'that I've heard my stakeholders discussing'. 'I'm aware that the cost pressures are continually escalating. Everybody knows that the technology that is available for sick people today is 20 times better than it was not very long ago, and it's more expensive,' Dr Armitage said.

Dr Armitage said there was unlikely to be a big impact on membership levels as a result of the premium rises, with more than 10 million Australians now holding some form of health insurance cover.


'"/>




Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Australian Scientists Silence Cancer Gene
2. Australian Government To Stockpile Anti-Bird Flu Drug Relenza
3. Australian Company Gets $10 million For Developing Skin Cancer Gel
4. Australian Court Finds Man Guilty of Spreading HIV/AIDS
5. Australian Scientists Develop Novel Drug To Combat Inflammatory Diseases
6. Sale Of Bird Flu Vaccine to US Planned: Australian Firm
7. Hepatitis C Could Infect 800,000 Australians By 2020
8. Obesity Cost More Than The Australian Health Budget
9. Australian Snake Venom Can Arrest Bleeding During Surgery And Trauma
10. Fat Virus, Ad-36 Blamed For Obesity Epidemic In Australians
11. Its High Time the Australian Government Takes Steps against Diabetes