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Call for mandatory health insurance

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A new report released by Victoria University’s Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC) suggests that a national health insurance system could be the right medicine for Australia’s ailing health care industry.

AHPC Director Rosemary Calder called on governments to consider the findings that suggest Australia adopt a blended insurance model, with a focus on care for chronic illness, to stabilise the health care sector.

“Australia’s health policies, funding and service models are failing about one quarter of the population,” Ms Calder said.

“Preventable diseases and chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and stroke affect a huge number of Australians, and this number is growing day by day,

“Without an aggressive focus on reducing preventable illness and improving chronic disease management, governments’ fears of increasing health costs will be realised.”

The report finds that the key issue is not to control or reduce health expenditures but to provide a framework for a sustainable insurance system. It proposes the adoption of a model that focuses on equity, as well as demand and supply.

also highlights the need to tackle duplication in private health insurance and fragmented care. “These are some factors that have caused the current system to become an inefficient maze, where providers and patients face dead ends and diversions when seeking treatment,” Ms Calder said.


In the report, the AHPC suggests ways to fund a new health insurance system taking into account the financial incentives of insurers, providers and covered individuals. They also provide a ten-year implementation strategy and timeline.

Ms Calder said a large part of current health care problems is due to funding and service models focusing on treatment instead of preventative care.

“It seems that for some Australians, access to preventative health care is an optional extra, and being chronically ill is an acceptable state. We need this to change,” Ms Calder said. Senior leaders of Australia’s health sector discussed the report, The Case for Change Towards Universal and Sustainable National Health Insurance & Financing for Australia, at a round table event in Melbourne.

(Source: Victoria University)


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Dates

Posted On: 16 December, 2015
Modified On: 19 December, 2015

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