19
January
2017
|
10:00
Australia/Melbourne

Bupa congratulates Greg Hunt on appointment as Federal Health Minister

Health and care company Bupa has congratulated Greg Hunt on his appointment as Federal Minister for Health.

Managing Director of Bupa Australia and New Zealand, Richard Bowden said there is an opportunity in this term of government to put in place practical and achievable reforms that will deliver a more sustainable, higher quality health and care system.

"We congratulate Minister Hunt on his appointment to the health portfolio and look forward to working with him to create an improved health system for all Australians," Mr Bowden said.

"We believe in a strong public health system, supported by a strong private system – it’s a balance that has served our country well for decades.

"Today, however, our health system is facing new and complex challenges. Increasing financial pressure from an ageing population, new and more expensive medical treatments and technologies, increasing use of services and rising consumer expectations - all of this means higher costs for consumers, healthcare providers and governments.

Richard Bowden, CEO Bupa ANZ
"A sustainable health system must strike a balance between curbing expenditure growth while improving the quality of care available for everyone. Ultimately Australians need and want the right care at the right time by the right person."
Richard Bowden, CEO Bupa ANZ

"Amongst other things, we recommend a move away from fee-for-service models for clinicians to outcomes based payments to help reduce current over-servicing and churn."

Mr Bowden also recommended that the Minister initiates a Productivity Commission review of the total private health system and how it interacts with the public system – to improve coordination of health and care services and reduce complexity, fragmentation and duplication.

"Work is underway to reduce waste and inefficiency in the health system, but more is required," he said.

"While we welcomed the Government cutting prosthesis costs late last year, Australians are still unjustifiably paying the highest prices in the world for medical devices. We are asking the Minister for further price reductions, that will continue to be passed on to our customers."

Mr Bowden also congratulated Ken Wyatt on his appointment as Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health.

"We look forward to working with Minister Wyatt to introduce more sustainable aged care funding, particularly for residents with complex care needs."

About Bupa

Bupa is a diverse health and care group which has been committed to a purpose of longer, healthier, happier lives for close to 70 years.In Australia and New Zealand, Bupa supports more than 6 million customers through a broad range of health and care services including health insurance, aged care, rehabilitation, dental, optical, medical, hearing and medical visa services.Employing more than 18,000 people, we believe that we can make a real difference to the lives of Australians and New Zealanders through our values, purpose and the way that we deliver personalised care.With no shareholders, we are able to reinvest our profits into improving the quality of health and care services. Since 2002 we have reinvested approximately $6bn in Australia and New Zealand, while the Bupa Health Foundation has invested over $26 million to support more than 100 health and care projects.