Private Healthcare Australia

17/07/2025

Did you know that increased thirst, frequent urination, excessive hunger, fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing sores, and numb or tingling hands or feet can be signs of type 2 diabetes?

If you’re worried about any of these things, talk to your GP. Early diagnosis of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes can prevent complications and give you a chance of remission.

By answering the Australian Government’s diabetes risk assessment survey below, you can calculate your risk of type 2 diabetes in the next 5 years.

The best cure for type 2 diabetes is prevention. Know your risk factors, know the signs, and take action to protect yourself.

https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/the-australian-type-2-diabetes-risk-assessment-tool-ausdrisk/tool

09/07/2025

After breaking his neck in an unexpected fall, health policy expert Bill Bowtell tells The Australian what it was like to go from strategist to patient.

Following several months of inpatient and home-based treatment, Bill shares his experienced of Australia’s mixed health system, which he found excellent.

Bill was particularly impressed by the ‘hospital in the home’ service provided by his health insurer and he maintains it’s time to re-think how healthcare is delivered in Australia, so more out-of-hospital options are rolled out.

Read Bill's insights, here:

In the emergency room at Christchurch Hospital, the doctor stitched up the deep gash on my forehead, sent me for a CAT scan and delivered the results: “You’ve broken your neck.”

08/07/2025

Cancer rates in Australians under 50 are rising, as evidenced by a new study by ABC Australia Four Corners. Australians aged in their 30s and 40s are experiencing unprecedented rates of at least 10 different types of cancer, including prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, uterine cancer and kidney cancer.

Especially alarming is the growth rates of bowel cancer in Australia - since the year 2000, rates of bowel cancer in 30 to 39-year-olds has increased by 173%.

It's important for young Australians to understand the risk factors for cancer and make sure they do not ignore any warning signs given we know the earlier the cancer is detected, the better the outcomes are likely to be.

Read more via the ABC piece here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-07/cancer-diagnosis-rates-under-50s-rising-causes-four-corners/105495620

08/07/2025

Did you know that Australia has the highest rate of ACL surgical reconstruction in the world? 🦵🩺

The Australian writer Virginia Tapscott shares her experience following an injury which caused her ACL to tear. Instead of opting for a traditional surgery, she made the decision to heal her injury using a knee brace and rehabilitation - a tactic that has seen great results in different medical trials. She has now made full recovery.

Surgery can be costly, time intensive and carry other medical risks. When faced with an injury, it's always worth asking your doctor whether proven non-surgical alternatives are available.

Read the full piece here:

‘Part robocop, part woman limping around in bikini’: braced for a gamble

07/07/2025

According to the ATO more than 768,000 individuals currently pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) each year. At the start of this financial year, here's 5 things to know about the MLS and why it's likely better to take out hospital cover and avoid paying the MLS. Swipe through below 👇

25/06/2025

Health insurers are delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in additional payments to private hospitals to help them through a challenging period of rising costs and a shift towards more technology driven out-of-hospital care.

Following a request from Health Minister Mark Butler MP for health insurers to lift payments to private hospitals, the most recent Australian Prudential Regulation Authority data shows health insurance payments to private hospitals jumped 7.7% in the year to March 2025. During the same period, health insurers paid private hospitals 4.2% more per episode of treatment.

This comes after health insurers paid more than $5 billion back to health fund members due to lower claims during the pandemic. Health insurers are cutting their own costs to maximise efficiency, lift payments to hospitals, and provide their members with more options for healthcare.

Read more here: https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/health-insurers-lift-payments-to-private-hospitals-to-help-them-through-a-difficult-period/

23/06/2025

Last year nearly 155,000 Australians went to a hospital emergency department for back pain, which can be a frightening experience. But as Kate Aubusson writes, most people with sudden onset back pain don’t need emergency care or treatment in a hospital. Learn more about what researchers are discovering about back pain and when it warrants further medical attention.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/why-my-husband-s-howl-over-back-pain-could-happen-4-million-times-around-australia-20250616-p5m7p0.html

16/06/2025

The rising cost to see specialist doctors in the community is blocking access to our private hospital system and undermining the value of health insurance for 15 million Australians. A new report by Grattan Institute has found 1 million people are delaying or skipping specialist care due to cost, putting them at risk of worsening health.

The report also reveals specialist fees have increased 73% in real terms since 2010. This is putting pressure on our public hospitals while private hospitals have unused beds.

Psychiatrists are charging some of the highest fees of all and Medicare data shows mental health admissions to private hospitals have plummeted 12% over the past four years. It can take months and sometimes years to see a specialist doctor in the public system, and with rising costs, it is becoming unaffordable for many Australians to choose the private system.

On behalf of 15 million Australians investing in health insurance, we support the Grattan Institute's recommendations for improving access to specialist care. It will help people get access to care at the right time, in the right place and at the right price for them.

Read the report here: https://grattan.edu.au/report/special-treatment-improving-australians-access-to-specialist-care/

13/06/2025

In the private health system, people with health insurance are being hit with astronomical fees for common generic medical devices such as joint replacements and cardiac implants due to an outdated pricing system controlled by the Federal Government. In the public health system, hospitals can tender for competitive prices for medical devices. In the private system, health insurers must pay for any item on the Government’s “Prescribed List” and cannot negotiate with the hospitals or manufacturers for a better price.

With the cost of healthcare rising all the time, it is time for the Federal Government to overhaul this system. It could save up to $1 billion a year. This would help health insurers slash the cost of health insurance premiums for 15 million Australians. Health insurers have committed to return any savings from reform of this system to customers via reduced premiums.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medical/private-hospitals-insurers-want-freedom-to-negotiate-price-of-implants/news-story/18b7ed0accec0cb9edb2a1438d22c0e6?btr=27454b675f5af64b94df78af298a8bc6

10/06/2025

If you have health insurance and need mental health treatment, you may notice changes in our private health system. With psychiatrists preferring to treat more people outside of hospitals, we’re seeing more people receive telehealth services and in-person consultations and day programs in the community. This is leading to fewer standalone mental health hospitals over time, but many other mental health services are proliferating in the community to replace these services and offer high quality care. There will always be a need for some people to receive care in hospital, but this is increasingly occurring in larger hospitals with more medical services available, rather than in smaller mental health hospitals.

If you or a loved one needs mental health treatment, talk to your doctor and your health fund about the options you have. Health insurers are offering a range of services including:

- Virtual psychology clinics where you can consult a psychologist via telehealth or online via video platforms.
- Access to funded care with a mental health social worker.
- Pharmacogenetic testing to predict which medicines may be most effective for you.
- Psychotherapy programs for conditions such as PTSD.
- Funding for hospital care at a service near you.

06/06/2025

As demand increases for mental health care, private health care providers are delivering more services to people at home and in the community, not just in hospital.

Two of Australia’s largest private health groups, Ramsay Health Carere and Medibank, have today announced a new partnership to accelerate innovative care models and expand patient choice for mental health care.

It involves more options for how and where people receive quality care with Ramsay, as well as supporting access to innovative psychotherapy programs for eligible customers with acute mental health conditions. It means patients receiving care at Ramsay mental health clinics can continue their treatment in the community with support from Ramsay nurses and psychologists.

Read more here:

Medibank and Ramsay Health Care have announced a partnership to accelerate innovative care models and expand patient choice in mental health.

04/06/2025

Medicare data shows initial specialist consultations have decreased 10% over the past five years despite a growing population. The rising cost to see some specialist doctors in the community is making healthcare less accessible for many Australians, including people investing in health insurance. In some instances, doctors are charging more than $900 for a first appointment.

Private hospitals are facing lower demand, partly due to high fees to see a specialist doctor. Addressing this issue is crucial to ensure the sustainability of our mixed public-private health system. The Albanese Government has committed to putting thousands of specialist doctors' fees on the Medical Costs Finder website. We need this to happen as soon as possible to help consumers shop around for specialists in their price range.

Read our media release to learn more: https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/access-to-specialist-doctors-plummeting-as-some-charge-more-than-900-for-an-appointment/