Category: Featured

BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR RADIATION THERAPY FOR REGIONAL AUSTRALIA

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Announced as part of the $2.3 billion Medicare Cancer Plan announced in the Budget-in-reply this week, an elected Labor government would provide $60 million towards 13 radiation therapy facilities in rural and regional areas.

This follows on from the Coalition’s commitment of $45.5 million for regional radiation therapy in Tuesday’s Budget.

In Australia, radiation therapy is underused in the fight against cancer. In Europe and North America, 1 in 2 cancer patients receives it as part of their treatment, here it is only 1 in 3.

The medical technology industry has long called for greater funding for radiotherapy in Australia, with a campaign launched recently by the Radiation Therapy Advisory Group, a group formed in 2017, comprising of expert individuals and organisations dedicated to raising the profile of radiation therapy.

The Radiation Therapy for Regional Australia campaign was launched in Newcastle earlier this year, and their success in bringing the plight of rural and regional cancer patients to the attention of government has helped to ensure that all Australians have access to the treatment they need.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

THE BIG SWITCH

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Why are people changing?

  • According to a YouGov Galaxy research study commissioned by iSelect, approximately 1 million Aussies have decided to cancel their health insurance, with another 4 million planning to make the switch to a cheaper policy or reduce their coverage.
  • According to iSelect, the average cost of private health insurance premiums is set to rise again by 3.25% on April 1 – an average increase of 26% over the last five years.

What has caused the shake-up?

  • You may not know, but April 1 is also the date the Commonwealth Government’s new health reforms com into effect. iSelect say the reforms, including the recategorisation of policies to Gold/Silver/Bronze/Basic tiers, are the biggest shake-up to Australia’s private health insurance industry in more than a decade.
  • The study also revealed concerning levels of confusion among Aussies with health policies, with almost 7.2 million of Aussie policy holders describing choosing the best policy as ‘confusing’.
  • Almost a million Aussies believe they will be worse off with a reduced level of hospital cover as a result of the new tier system.

Fudging the Numbers?

  • A News Corp Australia investigation of actual premium rises on individual policies has found the government’s boast of delivering the lowest average premium rise in 18 years -3.25 per cent — is deceptive. In fact, health fund members with top cover are facing premium rises of over 7 per cent from April 1.
  • An analysis of premium rises in three of the top four health funds by News Corp Australia has found the government was able to deliver a low average increase because the junk health fund policies that cover not much at all have hardly risen in price.

KEY INSIGHT – iSelect’s guide to private health insurance changes:

  1. Gold/Silver/Bronze/Basic – all hospital policies will be categorised as either Gold, Silver, Bronze or Basic with minimum standards under each tier which will make it easier for customers to know exactly what they are covered for and to compare policies against each other.
  2. Higher maximum excess to reduce premiums – customers will be able opt for a higher excess ($750 for singles and $1500 for families) on eligible policies in exchange for lower overall premiums, saving up to $350 a year on a family policy.
  3. Youth discount – under 30s will benefit from discounts of 2-10% on eligible hospital policies. The younger they take out hospital cover, the greater the discount which will remain in place until they turn 41 and then phase out.
  4. Improved rural benefits – insurers will now be able to offer customers living in rural and regional Australia greater travel and accommodation benefits under their hospital policy if they need to travel to a metropolitan area for treatment.
  5. Natural therapies removed – while insurers will still be able to cover remedial massage, acupuncture and Chinese medicine as part of their extras policies, all other natural therapies will no longer be covered (including naturopathy, aromatherapy, homeopathy, pilates and yoga).

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NSW Election Special

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Health is approximately 28% of the total NSW budget and both sides have made some big spending commitments.  Health is the portfolio that no matter how much a government spends it never seems to be enough.  It’s like a black-hole for government spending.

Both sides have committed to major increases in the health workforce; for Labor it’s 5,500 more nurses, 1,500 more paramedics and, 2,240 more allied health and support workers.

Not to be outdone, the Government will add 5,000 nurses and 2,300 other front-line staff.

More front-line health professionals is a welcome investment, but what is missing in this debate is where are all these extra staff coming from?  It’s fair to say, you don’t train a nurse overnight.

The other major commitments are in the area of investing in hospitals.  The Government has committed a number of large-scale projects, including, but not limited to:

  • $780 million for John Hunter Hospital
  • $470 million for a new Maitland Hospital
  • $619 million upgrade of the Westmead Children’s Hospital
  • $750 million redevelopment of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
  • $608 million of the Children’s Hospital at Randwick

Labor has taken a slightly different approach and has specifically targeted small country hospitals and multi-purpose services.  This is part of a deliberate political strategy given the Government’s electoral problems in the bush.  This includes, but it not limited to:

  • $250 million for small country hospitals and multi-purpose services
  • Moving to introduce mandated nurse ratios in public hospitals
  • Six detoxification and rehabilitation clinics at a cost of $100 million
  • $534 million for a new Tweed Valley Hospital
  • $395 million to upgrade St George Hospital to give it the capacity to perform state of the art robotic precision surgery

In other commitments the Government has also committed to $21.7 million in a state-wide stroke telehealth service.

Where Will it be Won or Lost

If the pundits are to be believed the future of the Government rests in rural and regional NSW.  After two disastrous by-elections that saw 20% plus swings and the loss of the seats of Wagga Wagga and Orange, regional NSW is ground zero for the Government.

The considered view is the ALP can win only 2-3 metro seats and is competitive in a number of regional seats but cannot win the 13 seats it needs to win majority Government.

For the Government if they lose 6 seats, they will lose their majority, with 47 seats required for a 1 seat majority.

So, the smart money at this stage is on a hung parliament and which party ends up with the most seats is probably best positioned to from a minority Government.

In what will be a likely return to the political limelight, Mark Latham, former ALP federal leader and former Liberal Democratic Party member, is most likely to be elected to the NSW Upper House as a One Nation MP.

As they say, what is old is new again!!  Enjoy your Election Night.[/vc_column_text][vc_zigzag][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1915″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Fassina is the Managing Director of Insight Strategy and has served as a strategic adviser to MedTech and pharmaceutical stakeholders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY CODE OF PRACTICE REVIEW UNDERWAY

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) members are required to abide by The Code, which sets out an ethical framework to guide their interactions with healthcare providers.

The Code ensures that healthcare providers are not influenced in their decision-making around the use of devices through financial or other inducements to providers.

Compliance with The Code is binding on members of MTAA. Non-member companies are encouraged to observe The Code as the recognised industry standard. A breach of The Code can result in significant financial penalties. In addition, the findings are made public on the MTAA website and in the MTAA Annual Report.

For MTAA, the Medical Technology Industry Code of Practice provides a platform to educate companies, healthcare professionals and consumers about the benefits of working in an ethical, transparent, and socially responsible business environment.

Pam Davis is a Consumer Representative on the Code Committee and is looking forward to participating in the review process:

“Consumers need to have confidence in the ability of The Code to monitor and uphold sound ethical practices in the medical technology industry.  To this end, it is vital that The Code reflects current community standards and keeps abreast of changes in marketing practices, by undertaking regular reviews,” Ms Davis said.

If you or your organisation would like to participate in the Code review, either through a face-to-face interview, a written submission or by completing a formal survey, please contact Neina Fahey, Code of Practice and Project Coordinator by email nfahey@mtaa.org.au or phone (02) 9900 0626 by Friday 31 May 2019.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

I’m Proud Of Our Progress But There’s Still More To Be Done

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As the local Managing Director of a large global healthcare company I have no greater responsibility than to ensure that every patient we serve can live a healthier life.

But I am equally committed to running a successful company because if the business fails we ultimately fail our patients.

So, it was reaffirming to see the most recent Gender Equality at Work [i]report found a common denominator that set apart the high performing companies from the pack that were listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

The common denominator was women in their leadership. Each business had either a female chair, CEO or CFO or a combination of the three.

It resonated with me because I have always believed that when it comes to advancing women in work, this is not just a fairness equation, it’s fundamentally a business equation.

Advancing women advances our business and allows us to unleash our full potential to not only compete in the healthcare industry of tomorrow, but to help people around the world to live longer, healthier lives today.

It is therefore quite apt that International Women’s Day in 2019 is all about #BalanceforBetter.

Around half the population are women who are equally in need of the best healthcare that technology can provide. So shouldn’t the people creating and delivering these medical technologies also reflect this gender diversity?

Afterall, a balanced, diverse workforce that mirrors a company’s customer base is more likely to be able to meet customer needs and new market opportunities, thus improving both financial and nonfinancial performance.

As leaders we must take responsibility to make it a reality and be intentional in our endeavours to do so.

I am proud that for more than 130 years, my company has been championing women and empowering them to succeed in the workplace and beyond. It’s helped me to achieve a wonderful career with many opportunities to now.

When Johnson & Johnson first opened its doors in 1886, eight of our first 14 employees were women. Today, our Australia and New Zealand workforce is more than 60 per cent female.

In 1908, Johnson & Johnson hired its first female scientist. Today, we are committed to ensure that half of all our STEM2D positions are filled by women.

This is a journey that Johnson & Johnson is on but I am proud of that history and the change we are seeing, not only at J&J but across the industry.

Here in Australia, for example, the members of the MTAA, that include Johnson & Johnson, began the Women in MedTech (WiMT) committee to lead the debate, proactively encourage gender diversity within the industry and support women to unlock their full potential.

It’s interesting to know that at Johnson & Johnson, a group of our female employees launched the Laurel Club back in 1907 to help foster professional development, wellness and community service among women. A group well ahead of its time.

Today, I am the Asia-Pac lead of our modern equivalent called Women’s Leadership & Inclusion (WLI) that has 186 chapters supported by our women and men all around the world.

On international women’s day, the new WLI strategy was launched that I hope will drive change that actively prepares our female workforce to be the leaders of tomorrow and tomorrow.

Its purpose is to foster an inclusive organisational environment that champions the advancement of women with a vision to achieve gender equality across our business globally, to enhance our competitive advantage and fuel the future of human health.

To achieve this we have programs for mentorship and sponsorship, fathers with daughters support so they can be role models and active champions of their child’s passions and dreams, and we are partnering with Universities through programs to engage the women in STEM2D workers of the future.

As an organisation, we represent the market in which we work and operate, in relation to age, gender, race, religion, sexual preference, disability and nationality and we must actively seek inclusion and input from all.

If we all were to do this as leaders then I believe it will deliver more robust dialogue, smarter decisions and ultimately, improved business performance in the short and long term.[/vc_column_text][vc_zigzag][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sue Martin is the Managing Director of Johnson & Johnson Medical devices Companies ANZ and is a Board Member of the MTAA.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[i] Liveris, C, “Gender Equality at Work 2018: Opportunity, with Qualifications”, March 2018 (Based on ASX market data sourced in January 2018).

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Regional Australia Missing Out On Cancer Treatment

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Greater access to radiation therapy services could help improve that statistic, and one of the key barriers to accessing radiation therapy is distance from a treatment centre – if you happen to live in Geraldton, WA, for example, it’s over four hours travel to the nearest centre.

Invest in this:

The Radiation Therapy for Regional Australia campaign was launched in Newcastle this week, calling on the Federal Government and Opposition to invest in radiation therapy for regional Australia and address the clear under-use of radiation therapy across the country generally.

According to Associate Professor Peter O’Brien from the University of Newcastle, “Australia is lagging well behind Europe and North America in radiation therapy utilisation, and the Federal Government and Opposition must take action.”

How does Australia compare?

In Australia, radiation therapy is underused in the fight against cancer. In Europe and North America, 1 in 2 cancer patients receives it as part of their treatment, here it is only 1 in 3.

The campaign was launched by the Radiation Therapy Advisory Group, a group formed in 2017, comprising of expert individuals and organisations dedicated to raising the profile of radiation therapy and ensuring it is adequately funded by government.

The group has previously published a cost benefit analysis of radiation therapy as compared to other forms of treatment and found that radiation therapy results in significantly fewer out of pocket costs for patients than surgery.

Let’s give all Australians a better chance at beating cancer – join the campaign here: http://www.radiationtherapy.org.au/ & here: https://www.facebook.com/regionalradiationtherapy/[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KXNaEXvZoE” title=”The problem of distance in accessing radiation therapy”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Unforeseen Consequences For Older Australians

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Insurers have until April 2020 to implement the new tiers, however, the new system will start rolling out from April this year.

Under the reforms, cataracts, joint replacements, dialysis for chronic kidney failure, and insulin pumps will all fall under the ‘Gold’ category, which, according to Senate Estimates this week, will comprise around 45 per cent of all policies.

It is still unclear what this will mean for private health fund members overall, but for older Australians who are more sensitive to increases in the price of their policies, the categorisation of joint-replacements and cataracts as Gold, may limit their access to these procedures, which will have the potential impact of pushing them onto public waiting lists.

Based on 2017 Australian Orthopaedic National Joint Replacement Registry data, osteoarthritis is the principal diagnosis for all five types of partial knee replacements (at 98.9 per cent) and primary total knee replacement (at 97.6 per cent of cases). The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that in 2014-15, 2.1 million Australians had osteoarthritis, with the prevalence of the condition rising sharply after the age of 45, and being greatest in patients aged 80 and over. There was a rise of 38 per cent in total knee replacements from 2005-06 to 2015-16.

Older patients most likely to need insurance for new knees are those most likely to be unable to afford to upgrade to gold coverage and may be left with no alternative to join the waiting list for treatment in the public system.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

INSURERS MUST PASS ON SAVINGS TO CONSUMERS

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With increasing margins and premiums up 3% in the December quarter, private health insurers continue to rake in profits as costs continue to rise for consumers, who are paying consistently more for less.

As PulseLine’s regular readers will know, the medical technology industry struck a deal with the Government in 2017 to cut prices on the Prostheses List by $1.1 billion over four years, which meant that private health insurance premiums rose by their lowest level in 18 years in 2018.

The December quarter APRA data demonstrated again that those reforms are bringing costs down for insurers. Since the September 2018 there have been cost reductions across significant prostheses categories, including:

  • Cardiac costs down 1.7%
  • Hip costs down 1.4%
  • Knee costs down 1.1%

And compared with the December quarter a year ago in 2017, the savings are even more evident, with:

  • Total benefits paid for prostheses down 4%
  • Average benefit paid for all prostheses down 12%

This is a direct result of the $1.1 billion dollars in cuts that the medtech industry delivered through its Agreement with the Government, and a crucial demonstration of the significant contribution that medical technology is making towards affordable health care.

It is now up to private health insurers to stop pointing the finger and start looking at how they can ensure those reductions flow through to consumers, to provide continuing affordability and access to better health outcomes for all Australians.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Let The Games Begin!

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So, is 2019 the year that Bill Shorten brings the bacon home for Federal Labor?

If the polls are to be believed, then Labor is the front runner to win the election which will most probably be held on 18 May 2019.

With the Federal Budget due to be handed down on 2 April this will see the Federal election called on either the weekend of 6/7 April or the 13/14 April.

Here are some key facts to keep in mind heading into the election:

  • There are 151 seats up for grabs in the election
  • With electoral redistributions and defections to the crossbench, the Government currently hold 72 seats, the ALP 71 and the crossbench has 8
  • Labor need to win a net 5 seats to form Government, on a uniform swing of 1% or 50.6% of the two-party preferred vote
  • The Morrison Government need a swing to them of around 1% or 51.5% of the two-party preferred vote and a net 4 seats to regain majority Government
  • Current polling has Labor leading 53% to 47%

The key issue for the Government is the strength of its primary vote.  It is currently around 36% which is 6 points below where it was in 2016.  Labors primary vote is up 4 points to around 37-38%.

For the Government, they cannot win without a primary vote of around 42-43%.  Labor can win with a vote around 39% or higher.  This is due to Labor traditionally doing better on preferences than the LNP.

The Government will be hoping to use the budget on 2 April as a platform to springboard off and leverage its natural political advantage, that being superior economic management.

With the budget coming back into surplus earlier than anticipated, this budget will be an election manifesto more than a traditional budget.  No doubt the Government will be looking to shower the electorate with some election goodies.

The Government continues to go in hard on Labor’s proposed tax changes to negative gearing, franking credits and capital gains.  This is the prism through which the Government will seek to frame Labor as economic saboteurs and not to be trusted to manage the economy.

For Labor their basic campaign theme is one of fairness with their ‘plan for a fair go’.  Expect Bill Shorten and Labor to use the word ‘fair’ as often as possible between now and the election.

Fairness will be broadly defined, but policies like reinstating weekend penalty rates will be an example of wage fairness, tax cuts for low to middle income earners is about a ‘fair economy’.

Over arching the ‘fair go’ agenda will be the message of unity and stability.  Labor will contrast an Opposition led by Bill Shorten for six years against a divided Government that has had 3 Prime Ministers in 3 years.

Added to the mix will be Labor constantly reminding the electorate that Scott Morrison voted against the Banking Royal Commission 26 times.  Labor will be keen to highlight that only they can be trusted to implement the Royal Commission recommendations in full, whereas Scott Morrison is still a friend of the banks.

As they say, let the games begin!![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_zigzag][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1915″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Fassina is the Managing Director of Insight Strategy and has been an strategic adviser to MedTech and pharmaceutical stakeholders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

HEALTH INSURERS SLASH BENEFITS

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Companies including Medibank, NIB, Bupa and other health insurers have been informing their members that the cuts to their benefits are as a result of the Commonwealth Government’s new private health insurance (PHI) reforms set to roll out from 1 April 2019.

News Corp Australia reports Medibank has already emailed their members with mid-range corporate hospital products to warn they will axe benefits for 70 treatments, including some weight loss and fertility treatments.

Representing the PHI industry, Private Healthcare Australia’s CEO, Dr Rachel David, said “One third to one half of health fund members will be receiving letters indicating some change”.

“There will be inclusions as well as exclusions,” Dr David said.

Speaking to News Corp, Australian Medical Association president, Tony Bartone, said “anything which makes private health insurance more expensive or less value for money will continue the exodus from insurance and build up the stress on the public system to the detriment of patients on long-waiting lists”.

Shadow Minister for Health, Catherine King, has promised that Labor, if elected, would establish a Private Health Insurance Inquiry, as well as imposing a 2 percent cap on private health insurance price rises for two years.

With Australians already cancelling or downgrading their health insurance policies, the health policy challenges facing State and Federal governments will likely be front and centre during this year’s election campaigns.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]