Fed: Health funds putting cost before patient care AMA

AAP General News (Australia)
06-20-2001
Fed: Health funds putting cost before patient care AMA

CANBERRA, June 20 AAP - Private health funds were putting cost before patient care
by listing doctors who did not charge more than the insurance covered, doctors said today.

More than six million health fund members will now be able to access details about
specialists who will treat them as private patients in hospital on the basis of either
no gap or with the gap known in advance.

Ten health funds yesterday announced they would list doctors who charged no more than
the insurance rebate on their websites to help consumers.

But Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Kerryn Phelps said the move undermined
traditional referral practices.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with people knowing how much it is going to cost
them to have any given operation," Dr Phelps told ABC radio.

"What I think the problem is, is that you can not let your fingers do the walking when
it comes to finding the right doctor to do your operation.

"There is no question that the health funds are putting cost before quality."

Australian Health Insurance Association chief executive Russell Schneider defended
the lists as widening options for patients.

"I think it is in the patients' interest that they get as much information about what's
going to happen in relation to their treatment, including the cost of that treatment and
preferably if they are insured there shouldn't be a cost," Mr Schneider told ABC radio.

Health Minister Michael Wooldridge rejected the AMA criticism of the lists.

"It is something the government has been pushing the health funds to do for some time
and it is about time the public can get some information about price before they have
an operation," Dr Wooldridge told ABC radio.

"This is just a chance for patients to know before an operation whether or not they
are going to have a gap.

"The public is fed up with getting bills they don't know about and if the gap is a
worry to them they can now go to the internet (sites) and find doctors who don't charge
gaps."

AAP eg/daw/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: GAPS (CARRIED EARLIER)

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