A sustainable private health insurance system requires enough young, healthy people paying premiums and not making claims. But government policies haven’t achieved this. Here’s what to try instead.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Health policy
Displaying 161 - 180 of 445 articles
While the pandemic has focused the world’s attention on how to prevent infectious disease, many of the lessons learned from COVID-19 prevention can also be applied to chronic disease prevention.
An extra A$17.7 billion for aged care seems like a lot, but it still falls short of the royal commission’s recommendations.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the scarcity of resources in long-term care. But it has also revealed how staff are undervalued.
Independent assessments were meant to make access to the NDIS fairer. But disability groups disagree and want them stopped.
A cannabis decriminalization bill approved by the House is a sign from Congress that sentiment around the drug is evolving, but it misses a chance to regulate marijuana for the good of all Americans.
The food and beverage industry is increasingly involved in the policymaking process.
Now the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has been scrapped, there’s a real chance for health to remain on the national agenda. But let’s not repeat mistakes of the past.
Why one city suffers significantly more deaths than another isn’t always obvious. A simple experiment shows how failing to consider certain factors can point policy makers in the wrong direction.
Elective surgeries have been halted as part of the health system’s response to coronavirus. But many are unnecessary and shouldn’t be rescheduled after the pandemic ends.
As a nation with a strong religious sentiment, Indonesia could rely on its religious leaders to be more involved in communicating messages about the crisis.
Reactions in South Africa give little reason for hope that the virus will bring people closer together or trigger more energetic action against poverty.
We need a frank public conversation about the full economic costs versus benefits of social distancing.
New private health insurance data show young people are continuing to drop their cover. But the industry’s argument a youth exodus will put pressure on public hospitals isn’t necessarily right.
It starts with recognising your child needs support. Then, you have to prove they are eligible for it. Finally, you have to find the appropriate support. There’s help available along the way.
Young people should pay less for private health insurance. So should people who are healthy, as they’re less likely to access private health care.
In April, private health insurance premiums will increase by an average of 2.92%. It’s the lowest rise in 19 years but still much higher than wages growth. And insurers still make a healthy profit.
Young people don’t see the value in private health insurance and are dropping their cover in droves. Allowing under 55s to pay lower premiums, based on their lower risk, could keep them in the system.
Patients often want the option to be treated at home rather than being admitted to hospital. But it’s much less likely to happen if you’re a private patient.
One judge must not be allowed to curtail parliament’s power to promote broader societal interests and protect people who are elderly, ill and disabled.
Top contributors
-
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne
-
Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute
-
Professor of Health Economics and Director, Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Monash University
-
Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW Sydney
-
Jim Gillespie is a Friend of The Conversation.
Associate Professor in Health Policy, Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data & Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney
-
Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University
-
Reader in Health Economics, Centre for Health Economics, University of York
-
Adjunct Associate Professor, Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, University of Sydney
-
Lecturer, Public Sector Finance, University of Canberra
-
Emeritus Professor, Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney
-
Associate Professor of Accounting, University of Technology Sydney
-
Professor of Health Economics and Director, Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology Sydney
-
Senior Policy Adviser, National Rural Health Alliance; Adjunct Lecturer, University of Sydney
-
Professor of Health Economics, University of Technology Sydney
-
Health economist, University of Sydney
