The rapid growth in out-of-pocket (OOP) costs has undermined the universality of Medicare and the effectiveness of private health insurance. This paper offers a road map for tackling the problems associated with OOP costs through short- and long- term initiatives, backed by evidence and informed by on-going consultation and evaluation.

This report analyses key competition and consumer developments and trends in the private health insurance industry between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018, including ACCC enforcement and other actions relating to the health sector.

Australia could save $1.5 billion a year on health spending by improving the safety of patient care in hospitals. Safer hospital care doesn’t just reduce harm to patients, it also saves money for taxpayers.

This report discusses the detrimental impacts of the changes on consumers, particularly those in regional Australia. The report also considers the appropriateness of communications that Bupa provided to policyholders about the changes.

This Report Card shows that there are a lot of policies on offer and that these provide significantly varying levels of benefits, cover and gaps. Furthermore, it highlights the significant variation that can occur on a State-by-State basis.