Further negotiations needed to protect patients
Private hospital groups are at loggerheads with private insurers over contractual agreements, but it's the policyholders who are going to suffer the consequences, AMA Queensland President Dr Nick Yim told ABC Radio Brisbane. "We are urging both parties, the insurers and the hospitals, to get back to the negotiating table because we don't want this, because this loses confidence in the private health sector."
Transcript: AMA Queensland President, Dr Nick Yim, ABC Radio Brisbane, Breakfast with Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan, Tuesday 27 August 2024
Subject: UnitingCare ending its contract with AHSA
LORETTA RYAN: Are you a member of private health funds like Queensland Country Health, Defence Health, Police Health or HBF? Well, from November this year, if your private health fund is part of the Australian Health Service Alliance, you won't be covered at UnitingCare hospitals like the Wesley and Saint Andrews War Memorial Hospital in Brisbane.
CRAIG ZONCA: Negotiations between the not-for-profit hospitals and these health funds have reached an impasse. Dr Nick Yim is the President of the Australian Medical Association Queensland. Nick, how concerned are you by this breakdown in negotiations here?
DR NICK YIM: As you can imagine, this is quite concerning. I think with this group of health insurers, it does cover 2.5 million Australians and over half a million are in Queensland. So, this is an example of where the private hospital groups are at loggerheads with private insurers over contractual agreements. And I guess the policyholders, they're the ones that are stuck in the middle and are potentially facing high out-of-pocket expenses after November.
LORETTA RYAN: Well, what's your advice to them if they're listening, thinking – gosh, what do I do now? What should they do?
DR NICK YIM: The key thing at the moment is, people who are currently in hospital or who have a procedure booked in prior to 21 November, they're not affected. But obviously, we are urging both parties, the insurers and the hospitals, to get back to the negotiating table because we don't want this, because this loses confidence in the private health sector.
CRAIG ZONCA: And at a time like this - just correct me if I'm wrong here, Nick, but we're seeing more and more Australians pull out of private health insurance more broadly, aren't we?
DR NICK YIM: Yes, we are seeing that. Obviously, we are seeing the cost-of-living pressures increasing. I guess it's one of those situations where, when we are seeing Queenslanders pull out of private health insurance, it’s not ideal, because that can potentially add additional pressures on the public health sector.
CRAIG ZONCA: So the answer, the solution and the compromise, who do you think the onus is on in this particular case? Is it on UnitingCare or is it on this alliance of health funds?
DR NICK YIM: I think it comes down to somewhere in the middle, isn't it? Private hospitals, they are like any business, they are facing much higher input costs. And obviously the Department of Health and Aged Care, they are taking this really seriously. So I guess they are looking at the viability of private health checks. But ultimately, we need both parties to come back to the table and negotiate so the patients aren't stuck in the middle.
CRAIG ZONCA: Well, let's hope that can be the case before 20 November when the current deal expires. Thanks for joining us this morning.
DR NICK YIM: Always appreciate it, thank you.
