THE Consumers' Health Forum of Australia (CHF) is urging the Federal Government to establish an independent review into private health insurance.
Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority board member, Geoff Summerhayes, said there needed to be a rethink of taxpayer subsidies and the Medicare levy, given the declining uptake of health insurance.
CHF CEO, Leanne Wells, urged the Government to "bite the bullet and launch a thorough inquiry" into the sector.
"The falling membership and the frustrating crunch of rising premiums and shrinking benefits provide the Government with compelling grounds to initiate a far-reaching inquiry into private insurance," she said.
"It is worth noting that fund profitability persists while the experience of patients and families struggling with high out of pocket costs for private care are turning people away from insurance.
"Private insurance in Australia has become a 'lose, lose' proposition: having paid ever-increasing premiums, members are exposed to yet further out of pocket costs when they do get private care."
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