| Publication: | Herald Sun |
|---|---|
| Date: | 30 September 2009 |
| Section: | National News |
Ben Packham | From: Herald Sun | September 30, 2009
Article excerpt:
INSURERS say steep health premium rises could be around the corner amid new figures showing the nation's annual medical bill now tops $100 billion.
The insurance industry called for an urgent crackdown on second-rate surgeons and dodgy medical devices to cut rising medical costs.
Health spending leapt by 6 per cent in 2007-08, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Almost 10c in the dollar of national income, or about $4900 a person, is spent on health.
The Australian Health Insurance Association said higher costs and stagnant membership numbers would push up premiums.
"If you get costs that go up and you get the number of people staying static or going down, those people who are left in private health insurance will pay more," chief executive Michael Armitage said.
He said the only way to control rampant health inflation was to stop paying for poor outcomes.
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