[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The results are from a YouGov survey of over 1000 Australians – released today – that also found the majority of respondents (65%) thought a price increases over 3 per cent next year – twice the inflation rate – was “not in the public interest”.
Ian Burgess, CEO of the Medical Technology Association of Australia, who commissioned the poll, said the public clearly supported the Government “standing strong” in the face of insurer threats to retaliate by blocking patient access to critical medical devices and refusing to reimburse their claims.
“The ‘Big 3’ corporate health insurers – Medibank, Bupa and NIB – have not paid once extra cent for medical devices in the past two premium years, despite raising premiums twice-inflation and pocketing nearly $1 billion in profits between them,” Mr Burgess said.
“The Federal Government’s agreement with MTAA has successfully delivered more Australians more access to more medical devices at less cost to insurers – and premiums should be going down, not up, as per the Minister’s direction today.
“Insurers are threatening to block patient access to the very medical devices that hold our world-class health system together.
“Thousands of patients and surgeries across Australia – from bone breaks, to caesareans, to transplants – will be instantly impacted by this insurer cash grab and cause chaos in hospitals across the country, including public hospital waiting lists.”
The Federal Government is currently assessing private health insurance premium submissions for next year.
Under Federal legislation, the Health Minister must sign off on an insurer’s proposed increase “unless satisfied that a change would be contrary to the public interest”.
Last Monday, MTAA called for the Federal Government to reject any premium increases about 3 per cent – twice inflation – after analysis of official APRA data on Monday proved medical device costs to health insurers had gone backwards over the past two premium years – and exposed insurer claims they were pushing up premiums as a “sham and a scam”.
The MTAA’s Agreement with the Federal Government has already saved insurers a total of $390 million off the cost of medical devices and is on track to exceed the $1.1 billion in total expected savings.
Poll Results – Private Health
- Three quarters of Australians surveyed (76%) believe the Federal Health Minister should use their power to reject insurer premium increases over 3%.
- Three quarters of Australians surveyed (73%) are in favour of the Federal Health Minister forcing private health insurers to use some of their $1 billion in profits to keep premium increases under 3% next year.
- The majority of Australians surveyed (66%) do not believe a health fund premium increase over 3% next year is in the “public interest”.
- Half of all respondents (49%) held private health insurance in line with current national population
Source: All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,078 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14th-15th November 2019. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted
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