Summary
Date: 4 December 2015
On 8 November 2015, the Minister for Health launched consultations on the private health insurance industry. The RACGP submission to the consultation is based on our December 2014 position statement Private health insurance in general practice. It acknowledges that private health insurers could play a role in supporting access to chronic disease management, hospital avoidance programs and preventive care, while setting out the principles for ensuring the involvement of private health insurers in general practice is not detrimental to patient access or GP autonomy.
The submission calls for more consideration of the evidence for private health insurer involvement in the health system and reiterates the need for general practice to be appropriately funded in line with the RACGP’s Vision for general practice and a sustainable healthcare system.