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Medibank Private stays public
明年私人医疗保险将上涨$100元 工党刚一上台即面临新挑战
12月13日消息 在野时一向反对私人医疗保险费用飚涨的工党，上台后立刻面对私人医疗保费上升的挑战，而且其加幅超过了通胀率水平。
私人医疗保险的利润上个财政年度创出$12亿元的新高，但明年初保费却将上涨4.5%，即平均每个家庭一年要多付$185元左右的保费。
私人医疗保险费用的升幅在过去六年都超过通胀率，这一直为在野时的工党所诟病，反对年年都“超额”加价。
公有的私人医疗保险基金MEDIBANK PRIVATE是澳洲最大的私人医疗保险基金。
Private health funds to push for rise
December 13, 2007 12:00am Article from: Herald Sun
FAMILIES could be forced to pay an extra $185 a year for their private health insurance.
Health funds are tipped to push for the rise, which consumer advocates warn could force some families to dump their private cover and rely on Medicare.
"People don't have unlimited incomes, so they have to make choices," Consumer Health Forum chairman Mitch Messer said.
"The Government should look very closely at the rises that are being sought."
Health funds are expected to ask Health Minister Nicola Roxon for above-inflation premium rises of 4.5 per cent to start from February.
Health premiums have been rising ahead of inflation for the past six years.
The Australian Health Insurance Association said no one liked premium rises, but the cost of health care was skyrocketing.
"If you actually look at the figures, we do a darned good job," chief executive Michael Armitage said.
Labor campaigned hard on hip-pocket issues while it was in Opposition, including steep premium rises.
But Mr Rudd assured the industry four days before the election that there would be no change in the way premiums were set.
The average premium rise for this year was 4.5 per cent, and industry sources said the figure would be similar next year.
Insurance companies blamed the cost of medical technology, the ageing population and rising demand for health care for putting pressure on to boost premiums.
HBA corporate development manager Mark Engel said in 1988 the most expensive implanted medical device was $4200 for a heart pacemaker.
Today, a newly developed cardiac defibrillator costs $60,000.
"The technology has moved on that far now, that's the sort of increases we're looking at," he said.
Medibank Private said patients reaped the benefits from medical technology.
"It's great for the general population . . . but it comes at a cost," a spokesman said.
Health funds will lodge the proposed premium increases on Monday.
Ms Roxon said she would follow the established process when signing off on rises.
Premium increases would be vetted by the Private Health Insurance Administration Council and then by her, she said.
"At this point, we're still waiting on applications from the health funds, and I don't want to pre-empt what those requests might be," she said.
"Labor has no plans to change the premium-setting process or to freeze premiums."
[ 本帖最后由 villa 于 2007-12-13 15:03 编辑 ] |
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挑选初学者钢琴 (2008-9-18) daffodil 
发表于 2007-12-13 15:00
发表于 2007-12-13 15:01
