Health insurer Medibank Private says that an"extraordinary"increase in medical device claim costs is responsible for driving its profit 9 per cent lower in the first half of the year.
West Australian health insurer HBF has launched a major play to break into the east coast market,as it seeks to capitalise on dissatisfaction over rising premiums.
The ASX has extended its winning run,closing above 7000 points for the third session in a row despite nib and other insurers taking a bruising.
Consumers will likely welcome the smallest annual increase in health premiums since 2001,but health funds are pleading for help to deal with a jump in costs.
The Health Department will review how common surgical products like glues and sponges are used and paid for in private hospitals.
The boss of the nation's largest health insurer is pushing for an overhaul of how patients pay for prostheses in private hospitals.
Australia's health insurers are pressing the federal government to overhaul how much they pay for knee and hip replacements and other devices in private hospitals.
Medibank's CEO says an unexplained increase in surgeries involving prostheses is driving up costs and threatening the stability of the private health sector.
The federal government is facing a call to subsidise older and sick Australians'health insurance and let funds adjust their premiums based on risk.
People insured with HCF face hundreds of dollars per night in out-of-pocket fees if admitted to NSW public hospitals as private patients,in a private room.
The consumer watchdog is suing Medibank for allegedly telling customers they could not make claims for certain types of surgery even though their policies covered those procedures.