Consumer-centred health care in the 21st century
To develop a framework for how this might happen in Australia, The George Institute for Global Health and the Consumers Health Forum of Australia partnered on a Special Policy Roundtable held in Sydney on 31 March 2016. Involving over 35 consumers, advocates, and health experts from a range of backgrounds, and representing key stakeholders (see list at end of report), these individuals developed the themes crystallised as recommendations in this report, based on the principles of consumer-centred care.
Integrated and coherent health policy should start with the healthcare consumer and their needs. Wider policy must recognise the link between the nation’s overall health status and productivity: an investment in healthcare is an investment in the health of the budget itself.
Preserving Consumer Choices Without Sacrificing the Principles of Universal Health Care
The Government announced a review into private health insurance on 28 October 2015. In order to help inform the government’s review into private health insurance, the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) launched the online survey. CHF made its formal submission to the government’s review on 14 December 2015. The findings, discussion, and recommendations in this report should be viewed as a companion to the full submission.
While the challenges facing the health sector are enormous, CHF continues its mission to work collaboratively with health consumers, our members and stakeholders to improve the viability and sustainability of the health system for all health consumers.
The current state of private health insurance in Australia is one prone to fragmentation and offering little value to consumers. Many insurance policies lack adequate coverage for even basic needs, yet consumers feel pressured to take out such policies in order to have some form of coverage. With premiums rising faster than many consumers can reasonably afford, lack of confidence and clarity in the private health insurance market risks stratifying consumers into the haves and have-nots. If left unchecked, this stratification would spell the end to the principles of universal access to health care that is the bedrock of the Australian health system.
An outstanding contributor to the Consumers Health Forum, Ainslie Cahill, has been awarded Honorary Life Membership of CHF in recognition of commitment to improving outcomes for all health consumers.
Dr Kym Jenkins, President Elect, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, presented the 2015 Christopher Newell AM Oration at CHF's Annual General Meeting, in which she spoke of the need to merge practices of mental and physical health.
CHF is concerned that the link between actual costs incurred and thresholds/rebates would be further weakened by the proposed legislation and this will be to the detriment of consumers.