John Menadue on how private health insurance escalates health costs
With Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek due to appear on the ABC’s Q and A program tonight, perhaps we might finally see health policy matters enter the federal election debate. And for those...
View ArticleTimely lessons from America on the dangers of a system dominated by PHI.
Yesterday on Radio National’s Health Report, Dr Norman Swan discussed the impending Private health reductions in public hospital funding. In a timely article below, Ian McAuley warns of the potential...
View ArticlePrivate health funds free-riding on the Medicare Gravy Train
Private health insurance funds are ‘free-riders’ on Medicare, according to Harvard-based academic Dr Matthew Anstey, who has proposed that health funds be required to take financial responsibility for...
View ArticleWhoops. We don’t really want to hear what you think about private health...
This blog has previously run articles questioning the merits of the private health conference industry – from Kim Webber and Simon Chapman. Now another Croakey contributor, public finance academic Ian...
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Some important questions about health policy and the federal election (aka...
Health policy is up for debate this week thanks to ABC TV’s Q and A program, featuring Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek and the Opposition’s health spokesman Peter Dutton. You can pose a...
View ArticleIs it time for MindCare?
With strong public support for public insurance schemes such as Medicare and the NDIS, Sebastian Rosenberg proposes a similar insurance system for mental health called MindCare… The decision to now...
View ArticleHealth spending: patients bearing higher costs
From the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library’s FlagPost blog comes the following excellent overview of the main issues in the current debate on out-of-pocket costs. This piece was written by Amanda...
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Health sector wish-lists: a pre-Budget round-up
With less than a week to go before the Federal Budget 2013, the leaks and rumours (and rumours about leaks) are increasing and speculation about possible new funding measures is mounting. The following...
View ArticleIf the Feds wanted to use the Budget to improve population health….. (some...
If the Federal Government wanted to use the forthcoming Budget to boost population health, what would it do? Raise taxation generally (plus specific hikes for tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy foods),...
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Things you should know about private health insurance rebates
Anthony Harris writes: The government will no longer refund 30% of the cost of the loading paid by people who take out private health insurance after the age of 30. The removal of the rebate from the...
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Six policies we won’t be seeing this election campaign
We’re off the blocks, out of the gate, hitting the road and [insert sporting cliché of choice] in the race to determine the next government of Australia. Over the course of the campaign Croakey looks...
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Putting primary health care on the federal election agenda
The next Federal Government must adopt a health-in-all-policies approach, a fairer distribution of healthcare funding and resources, and a greater focus on early childhood. So says the election policy...
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A comprehensive examination of the Coalition’s health policy
Dr Tim Senior, a GP working in Indigenous health, puts the Coalition’s health policy under the microscope…. “Kevin Rudd’s approach to health has been more about politics than policy” we read opening...
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Dutton vs Plibersek: Croakey readers put the questions
At the National Press Club today Peter Dutton and Tanya Plibersek go head-to-head on health policy. Croakey readers have suggested the following questions as ones they would like answered during the...
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A briefing for the next Federal Government: how to improve access to...
The need for greater support and care for people dying at home, and for greater investment in the aged care workforce was highlighted at the 12th Australian Palliative Care Conference in Canberra...
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Experts investigate the challenges facing our health system
Australia’s health system faces many challenges, including waste and inefficiency, structural imbalances between public and private health insurance, and increasing supply and demand, according to...
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The role of private health insurance in chronic disease management
The prevention and management of chronic disease is one of the biggest challenges facing our health system. Potential solutions often focus on the public health system but private health insurance has...
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GP visit co-payment proposal “puts most vulnerable and primary prevention at...
After months of quiet on the health front in the wake of the federal election, health policy debate lit up like a Christmas tree over the festive season in response to the announcement by Health...
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Some 30th birthday wishes for Medicare
Plenty of thoughtful birthday wishes are on offer for Medicare, which officially turns 30 tomorrow (1 February). However, as public policy analyst John Menadue points out, the origins of our national...
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Dutton signals major Medicare reform
In his first major speech on his vision for health reform (to CEDA) and follow-up interview on the ABC’s 7.30 Report, Health Minister Peter Dutton has signalled major changes to the Australian health...
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