Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott has rejected claims the private health insurance repayment is not easing pressure on public hospitals.
A University of New South Wales academic says a large group of people who have accepted the refund still use the public system.
Economics Professor Denzil Fiebig says his revise shows the $2 billion spent yearly on the rebate is not sustainable.
But Mr. Abbott says force on the public system has eased, now that 56 per cent of surgery takes place in private hospitals.
"I don't believe it could cope without the private system to take a big load of the surgery," he said.
"If you didn't have the rebate and the average family spent an extra $1,000 a year on their private health insurance, that would be a disaster for the public health system overall."
The Australian Health Insurance Association's chief executive officer, Dr Michael Armitage, says some people with private insurance could elect to have a private or expert surgeon perform an operation in a public hospital.
"There is no doubt that some times people with private health insurance are treated in public hospitals," he said.
"But I think it's important to acknowledge that a number of reasons for that are often their GPs refer them to specialists who maybe only practice in public hospitals or to specialists who have equipment in public hospitals."
posted by kanth
@ 2:43 AM
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