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PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMAN
STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMAN
STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT
Relating to the financial year 2016ndash17Report required by 20D (c) of the Commonwealth Ombudsman Act 1976
This work is copyright Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 no part may be reproduced without written permission
Requests concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Ombudsman copy Commonwealth of Australia 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 3
FOREWORDI am pleased to present the 13th annual State of the Health Funds Report relating to the financial year 2016ndash17 The Commonwealth Ombudsman Act 1976 (Cth) requires that the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) publish the report after the end of each financial year to provide comparative information
on the performance and service delivery of all health funds1 during that financial year
The information in the report supplements information available on PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau The consumer website provides a range of information to assist consumers to understand private health insurance and to select or update their private health insurance policies The information on the consumer website together with the State of the Health Funds Report itself makes it easier for consumers to choose health insurance policies that better meet their individual needs
1 For the purposes of this report Australian registered private health insurers are referred to as lsquohealth fundsrsquo
The purpose of this report is to provide consumers with additional information to assist them to make decisions about private health insurance For existing policyholders the report details information that allows them to compare the performance of their fund with all other health funds For those considering taking out private health insurance for the first time the report provides an indication of the services available from each fund and a comparison of some service and performance indicators at the fund level
The range of issues and performance information contained in the report has been chosen after taking into account the availability of reliable data and whether the information is reasonably comparable across funds The information included in the report is based on data collected by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) as part of its role in undertaking statistical reporting and monitoring of the financial management of health funds I would like to thank APRA for their assistance and advice in relation to the report
Mr Michael Manthorpe PSM Commonwealth Ombudsman March 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 4
CONTENTS
Foreword 3
Using this report to compare funds 6
About the data used in this report 8
Key consumer issues 9
Health fund listing and contact details 14
Service performance 16
Hospital 20
Medical gap schemes 22
General treatment (extras) 25
Finances and costs 29
Health fund operations by state or territory 32
About the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman 41
Your health insurance checklist 42
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 5
List of Figures
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year 9
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year 10
Figure 3 Information complaints 11
List of Tables
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details 14
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints
(greater than 05 per cent market share) 18
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share) 19
Table 3 Hospital 21
Table 4A Medical services with no gap 23
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made 24
Table 5A General treatment (extras) 26
Table 5B General treatment (extras) Average amount of
costs covered by service 27
Table 6 Finances and costs 31
Table 7A New South Wales 33
Table 7B Victoria 34
Table 7C Queensland 35
Table 7D South Australia 36
Table 7E Western Australia 37
Table 7F Tasmania 38
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory 39
Table 7H Northern Territory 40
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 6
USING THIS REPORT TO COMPARE FUNDS
Disclaimer
bull Nothing contained in this report should be taken as a recommendation by the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman in favour of any particular health fund or health insurance policy
bull No single indicator should be used as an indicator of overall fund performance In most cases a seemingly poor performance on one indicator will be offset by a good performance on other factors
bull The information used in this report in order to compare health funds is based on data collected for regulatory purposes This information is the most appropriate independent and reliable data available
bull This report is intended to help you decide which health funds to consider though it wonrsquot necessarily indicate which of the fundrsquos policies to purchase Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits as well as cheaper policies that provide less
The State of the Health Funds Report
The State of the Health Funds Report (SOHFR) compares how health funds perform across the following criteria
bull service performance
bull hospital benefits
bull medical gap schemes
bull general treatment (extras) benefits
bull financial management
bull health fund operations
You can use the information contained in this report to identify possible funds to join or to assess your existing fundrsquos performance if yoursquore reviewing your current needs
You can use the range of indicators included in this report as a menu to choose the factors of most importance to youmdashnot all factors will be of equal importance to every individual or family
For instance if you prefer to do business with a health fund in person then you should consider the availability of retail offices to be an important consideration However if you prefer to do as much of your business as possible online the range of services available through the fundsrsquo websites will be more important than the branches
More information about particular indicators is provided in the explanations preceding each of the tables in this report
If yoursquore considering taking out private health insurance for the first time we suggest you use the report to identify a number of fundsmdashpreferably at least threemdashfor further investigation
Where to find more information about selecting a policy
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital cover such as the lsquoMedicare Levy Surcharge Exemptionrsquo and lsquoLifetime Health Coverrsquo
These brochures as well as other publications can be found at ombudsmangovau Some brochures can be obtained in hard copy on request from the Ombudsmanrsquos Office
This report does not include detailed information on price and benefits for particular health insurance policies Information on specific policies is available from the Ombudsmanrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau where you can search for and compare information about every health fund and policy in Australia
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 7
Fund names
Throughout this report health funds are referred to by an abbreviation of their registered name rather than any brand name that they might use This abbreviated name appears on the left side of the heading for each fund in the Health Fund Listing section Some funds use several different brand names
Current and recent brand names
Brand name Fund AAMI NIB
APIA NIB
Australian Country Health Medibank
Australian Health Management Medibank
Country Health Medibank
CY Health HBF
Druids GMHBA
Federation Health Latrobe
FIT GMHBA
Frank GMHBA
GMF Health HBF
Goldfields HBF
Government Employees Medibank
Grand United Australian Unity
HBA BUPA
Healthguard HBF
Illawarra Health Fund Medibank
IOOF NIB
IOR HCF
Manchester Unity HCF
MBF BUPA
Mutual Community BUPA
Mutual Health Medibank
NRMA Health BUPA
Qantas Assure NIB
RACT GMHBA
Suncorp NIB
SGIC (SA) BUPA
SGIO (WA) BUPA
Unihealth Teachers Health
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 8
ABOUT THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Open and restricted membership health funds
Membership of lsquoopenrsquo health funds is available to everyone
lsquoRestricted membershiprsquo health funds have certain membership criteria which mean they arenrsquot available to all consumers For example membership may be restricted to employees of certain companies or occupations or members of particular organisations
Where applicable open and restricted membership funds are listed separately in each of the tables in this report
Information about policies
The information included in the report on fund contributions and benefits indicates the average outcomes across all of a fundrsquos policies and so canrsquot be taken as an indicator of the price or benefit levels that can be expected for any particular policy
Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits and most also offer cheaper policies that provide less
This report can help you to decide which health funds to consider but wonrsquot necessarily help you to decide which of the fundsrsquo policies to purchase
For information about specific policies the website privatehealthgovau enables you to view standard information outlining the main features of any health insurance policy You can compare Standard Information Statements for any policy available for purchase from any fund including the level of cover excess and price The website is also a good resource of independent and reliable information about private health insurance
Data collection
The need to obtain independent reliable data has been a key consideration in putting together the report The data selected by the Ombudsman as the most appropriate available is collected by the industry regulator the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) APRA has supplied most of the data published in this report
Funds report to APRA for regulatory purposes and not all of the data is publicly available Some of this information is useful to consumers and is therefore reproduced in this report You should note that the data is collected primarily for regulatory purposes and not for the purposes of the State of the Health Funds Report Accordingly it is important to read the accompanying text explaining the data in conjunction with the tables
As funds differ in size most of the statistical information is presented as percentages or dollar amounts per membership for easier comparison No attempt has been made to weight the importance of various indicators as these are subjective judgements very much dependent on your particular circumstances preferences and priorities For this reason it would not be valid to average all the scores indicated to obtain some form of consolidated performance or service delivery score
The report provides you with additional information about the benefits that were paid by each fund over the last year The report also provides information about the extent of cover provided for hospital medical and general treatment and any state-based differences in coverage The selection of indicators used in this report is not intended to represent the full range of factors that should be considered when comparing the performance of health funds The range of indicators has been limited to those for which there is reliable comparative information available
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMAN
STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT
Relating to the financial year 2016ndash17Report required by 20D (c) of the Commonwealth Ombudsman Act 1976
This work is copyright Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 no part may be reproduced without written permission
Requests concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Ombudsman copy Commonwealth of Australia 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 3
FOREWORDI am pleased to present the 13th annual State of the Health Funds Report relating to the financial year 2016ndash17 The Commonwealth Ombudsman Act 1976 (Cth) requires that the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) publish the report after the end of each financial year to provide comparative information
on the performance and service delivery of all health funds1 during that financial year
The information in the report supplements information available on PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau The consumer website provides a range of information to assist consumers to understand private health insurance and to select or update their private health insurance policies The information on the consumer website together with the State of the Health Funds Report itself makes it easier for consumers to choose health insurance policies that better meet their individual needs
1 For the purposes of this report Australian registered private health insurers are referred to as lsquohealth fundsrsquo
The purpose of this report is to provide consumers with additional information to assist them to make decisions about private health insurance For existing policyholders the report details information that allows them to compare the performance of their fund with all other health funds For those considering taking out private health insurance for the first time the report provides an indication of the services available from each fund and a comparison of some service and performance indicators at the fund level
The range of issues and performance information contained in the report has been chosen after taking into account the availability of reliable data and whether the information is reasonably comparable across funds The information included in the report is based on data collected by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) as part of its role in undertaking statistical reporting and monitoring of the financial management of health funds I would like to thank APRA for their assistance and advice in relation to the report
Mr Michael Manthorpe PSM Commonwealth Ombudsman March 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 4
CONTENTS
Foreword 3
Using this report to compare funds 6
About the data used in this report 8
Key consumer issues 9
Health fund listing and contact details 14
Service performance 16
Hospital 20
Medical gap schemes 22
General treatment (extras) 25
Finances and costs 29
Health fund operations by state or territory 32
About the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman 41
Your health insurance checklist 42
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 5
List of Figures
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year 9
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year 10
Figure 3 Information complaints 11
List of Tables
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details 14
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints
(greater than 05 per cent market share) 18
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share) 19
Table 3 Hospital 21
Table 4A Medical services with no gap 23
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made 24
Table 5A General treatment (extras) 26
Table 5B General treatment (extras) Average amount of
costs covered by service 27
Table 6 Finances and costs 31
Table 7A New South Wales 33
Table 7B Victoria 34
Table 7C Queensland 35
Table 7D South Australia 36
Table 7E Western Australia 37
Table 7F Tasmania 38
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory 39
Table 7H Northern Territory 40
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 6
USING THIS REPORT TO COMPARE FUNDS
Disclaimer
bull Nothing contained in this report should be taken as a recommendation by the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman in favour of any particular health fund or health insurance policy
bull No single indicator should be used as an indicator of overall fund performance In most cases a seemingly poor performance on one indicator will be offset by a good performance on other factors
bull The information used in this report in order to compare health funds is based on data collected for regulatory purposes This information is the most appropriate independent and reliable data available
bull This report is intended to help you decide which health funds to consider though it wonrsquot necessarily indicate which of the fundrsquos policies to purchase Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits as well as cheaper policies that provide less
The State of the Health Funds Report
The State of the Health Funds Report (SOHFR) compares how health funds perform across the following criteria
bull service performance
bull hospital benefits
bull medical gap schemes
bull general treatment (extras) benefits
bull financial management
bull health fund operations
You can use the information contained in this report to identify possible funds to join or to assess your existing fundrsquos performance if yoursquore reviewing your current needs
You can use the range of indicators included in this report as a menu to choose the factors of most importance to youmdashnot all factors will be of equal importance to every individual or family
For instance if you prefer to do business with a health fund in person then you should consider the availability of retail offices to be an important consideration However if you prefer to do as much of your business as possible online the range of services available through the fundsrsquo websites will be more important than the branches
More information about particular indicators is provided in the explanations preceding each of the tables in this report
If yoursquore considering taking out private health insurance for the first time we suggest you use the report to identify a number of fundsmdashpreferably at least threemdashfor further investigation
Where to find more information about selecting a policy
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital cover such as the lsquoMedicare Levy Surcharge Exemptionrsquo and lsquoLifetime Health Coverrsquo
These brochures as well as other publications can be found at ombudsmangovau Some brochures can be obtained in hard copy on request from the Ombudsmanrsquos Office
This report does not include detailed information on price and benefits for particular health insurance policies Information on specific policies is available from the Ombudsmanrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau where you can search for and compare information about every health fund and policy in Australia
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 7
Fund names
Throughout this report health funds are referred to by an abbreviation of their registered name rather than any brand name that they might use This abbreviated name appears on the left side of the heading for each fund in the Health Fund Listing section Some funds use several different brand names
Current and recent brand names
Brand name Fund AAMI NIB
APIA NIB
Australian Country Health Medibank
Australian Health Management Medibank
Country Health Medibank
CY Health HBF
Druids GMHBA
Federation Health Latrobe
FIT GMHBA
Frank GMHBA
GMF Health HBF
Goldfields HBF
Government Employees Medibank
Grand United Australian Unity
HBA BUPA
Healthguard HBF
Illawarra Health Fund Medibank
IOOF NIB
IOR HCF
Manchester Unity HCF
MBF BUPA
Mutual Community BUPA
Mutual Health Medibank
NRMA Health BUPA
Qantas Assure NIB
RACT GMHBA
Suncorp NIB
SGIC (SA) BUPA
SGIO (WA) BUPA
Unihealth Teachers Health
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 8
ABOUT THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Open and restricted membership health funds
Membership of lsquoopenrsquo health funds is available to everyone
lsquoRestricted membershiprsquo health funds have certain membership criteria which mean they arenrsquot available to all consumers For example membership may be restricted to employees of certain companies or occupations or members of particular organisations
Where applicable open and restricted membership funds are listed separately in each of the tables in this report
Information about policies
The information included in the report on fund contributions and benefits indicates the average outcomes across all of a fundrsquos policies and so canrsquot be taken as an indicator of the price or benefit levels that can be expected for any particular policy
Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits and most also offer cheaper policies that provide less
This report can help you to decide which health funds to consider but wonrsquot necessarily help you to decide which of the fundsrsquo policies to purchase
For information about specific policies the website privatehealthgovau enables you to view standard information outlining the main features of any health insurance policy You can compare Standard Information Statements for any policy available for purchase from any fund including the level of cover excess and price The website is also a good resource of independent and reliable information about private health insurance
Data collection
The need to obtain independent reliable data has been a key consideration in putting together the report The data selected by the Ombudsman as the most appropriate available is collected by the industry regulator the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) APRA has supplied most of the data published in this report
Funds report to APRA for regulatory purposes and not all of the data is publicly available Some of this information is useful to consumers and is therefore reproduced in this report You should note that the data is collected primarily for regulatory purposes and not for the purposes of the State of the Health Funds Report Accordingly it is important to read the accompanying text explaining the data in conjunction with the tables
As funds differ in size most of the statistical information is presented as percentages or dollar amounts per membership for easier comparison No attempt has been made to weight the importance of various indicators as these are subjective judgements very much dependent on your particular circumstances preferences and priorities For this reason it would not be valid to average all the scores indicated to obtain some form of consolidated performance or service delivery score
The report provides you with additional information about the benefits that were paid by each fund over the last year The report also provides information about the extent of cover provided for hospital medical and general treatment and any state-based differences in coverage The selection of indicators used in this report is not intended to represent the full range of factors that should be considered when comparing the performance of health funds The range of indicators has been limited to those for which there is reliable comparative information available
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
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E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
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SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 3
FOREWORDI am pleased to present the 13th annual State of the Health Funds Report relating to the financial year 2016ndash17 The Commonwealth Ombudsman Act 1976 (Cth) requires that the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) publish the report after the end of each financial year to provide comparative information
on the performance and service delivery of all health funds1 during that financial year
The information in the report supplements information available on PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau The consumer website provides a range of information to assist consumers to understand private health insurance and to select or update their private health insurance policies The information on the consumer website together with the State of the Health Funds Report itself makes it easier for consumers to choose health insurance policies that better meet their individual needs
1 For the purposes of this report Australian registered private health insurers are referred to as lsquohealth fundsrsquo
The purpose of this report is to provide consumers with additional information to assist them to make decisions about private health insurance For existing policyholders the report details information that allows them to compare the performance of their fund with all other health funds For those considering taking out private health insurance for the first time the report provides an indication of the services available from each fund and a comparison of some service and performance indicators at the fund level
The range of issues and performance information contained in the report has been chosen after taking into account the availability of reliable data and whether the information is reasonably comparable across funds The information included in the report is based on data collected by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) as part of its role in undertaking statistical reporting and monitoring of the financial management of health funds I would like to thank APRA for their assistance and advice in relation to the report
Mr Michael Manthorpe PSM Commonwealth Ombudsman March 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 4
CONTENTS
Foreword 3
Using this report to compare funds 6
About the data used in this report 8
Key consumer issues 9
Health fund listing and contact details 14
Service performance 16
Hospital 20
Medical gap schemes 22
General treatment (extras) 25
Finances and costs 29
Health fund operations by state or territory 32
About the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman 41
Your health insurance checklist 42
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 5
List of Figures
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year 9
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year 10
Figure 3 Information complaints 11
List of Tables
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details 14
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints
(greater than 05 per cent market share) 18
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share) 19
Table 3 Hospital 21
Table 4A Medical services with no gap 23
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made 24
Table 5A General treatment (extras) 26
Table 5B General treatment (extras) Average amount of
costs covered by service 27
Table 6 Finances and costs 31
Table 7A New South Wales 33
Table 7B Victoria 34
Table 7C Queensland 35
Table 7D South Australia 36
Table 7E Western Australia 37
Table 7F Tasmania 38
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory 39
Table 7H Northern Territory 40
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 6
USING THIS REPORT TO COMPARE FUNDS
Disclaimer
bull Nothing contained in this report should be taken as a recommendation by the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman in favour of any particular health fund or health insurance policy
bull No single indicator should be used as an indicator of overall fund performance In most cases a seemingly poor performance on one indicator will be offset by a good performance on other factors
bull The information used in this report in order to compare health funds is based on data collected for regulatory purposes This information is the most appropriate independent and reliable data available
bull This report is intended to help you decide which health funds to consider though it wonrsquot necessarily indicate which of the fundrsquos policies to purchase Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits as well as cheaper policies that provide less
The State of the Health Funds Report
The State of the Health Funds Report (SOHFR) compares how health funds perform across the following criteria
bull service performance
bull hospital benefits
bull medical gap schemes
bull general treatment (extras) benefits
bull financial management
bull health fund operations
You can use the information contained in this report to identify possible funds to join or to assess your existing fundrsquos performance if yoursquore reviewing your current needs
You can use the range of indicators included in this report as a menu to choose the factors of most importance to youmdashnot all factors will be of equal importance to every individual or family
For instance if you prefer to do business with a health fund in person then you should consider the availability of retail offices to be an important consideration However if you prefer to do as much of your business as possible online the range of services available through the fundsrsquo websites will be more important than the branches
More information about particular indicators is provided in the explanations preceding each of the tables in this report
If yoursquore considering taking out private health insurance for the first time we suggest you use the report to identify a number of fundsmdashpreferably at least threemdashfor further investigation
Where to find more information about selecting a policy
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital cover such as the lsquoMedicare Levy Surcharge Exemptionrsquo and lsquoLifetime Health Coverrsquo
These brochures as well as other publications can be found at ombudsmangovau Some brochures can be obtained in hard copy on request from the Ombudsmanrsquos Office
This report does not include detailed information on price and benefits for particular health insurance policies Information on specific policies is available from the Ombudsmanrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau where you can search for and compare information about every health fund and policy in Australia
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 7
Fund names
Throughout this report health funds are referred to by an abbreviation of their registered name rather than any brand name that they might use This abbreviated name appears on the left side of the heading for each fund in the Health Fund Listing section Some funds use several different brand names
Current and recent brand names
Brand name Fund AAMI NIB
APIA NIB
Australian Country Health Medibank
Australian Health Management Medibank
Country Health Medibank
CY Health HBF
Druids GMHBA
Federation Health Latrobe
FIT GMHBA
Frank GMHBA
GMF Health HBF
Goldfields HBF
Government Employees Medibank
Grand United Australian Unity
HBA BUPA
Healthguard HBF
Illawarra Health Fund Medibank
IOOF NIB
IOR HCF
Manchester Unity HCF
MBF BUPA
Mutual Community BUPA
Mutual Health Medibank
NRMA Health BUPA
Qantas Assure NIB
RACT GMHBA
Suncorp NIB
SGIC (SA) BUPA
SGIO (WA) BUPA
Unihealth Teachers Health
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 8
ABOUT THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Open and restricted membership health funds
Membership of lsquoopenrsquo health funds is available to everyone
lsquoRestricted membershiprsquo health funds have certain membership criteria which mean they arenrsquot available to all consumers For example membership may be restricted to employees of certain companies or occupations or members of particular organisations
Where applicable open and restricted membership funds are listed separately in each of the tables in this report
Information about policies
The information included in the report on fund contributions and benefits indicates the average outcomes across all of a fundrsquos policies and so canrsquot be taken as an indicator of the price or benefit levels that can be expected for any particular policy
Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits and most also offer cheaper policies that provide less
This report can help you to decide which health funds to consider but wonrsquot necessarily help you to decide which of the fundsrsquo policies to purchase
For information about specific policies the website privatehealthgovau enables you to view standard information outlining the main features of any health insurance policy You can compare Standard Information Statements for any policy available for purchase from any fund including the level of cover excess and price The website is also a good resource of independent and reliable information about private health insurance
Data collection
The need to obtain independent reliable data has been a key consideration in putting together the report The data selected by the Ombudsman as the most appropriate available is collected by the industry regulator the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) APRA has supplied most of the data published in this report
Funds report to APRA for regulatory purposes and not all of the data is publicly available Some of this information is useful to consumers and is therefore reproduced in this report You should note that the data is collected primarily for regulatory purposes and not for the purposes of the State of the Health Funds Report Accordingly it is important to read the accompanying text explaining the data in conjunction with the tables
As funds differ in size most of the statistical information is presented as percentages or dollar amounts per membership for easier comparison No attempt has been made to weight the importance of various indicators as these are subjective judgements very much dependent on your particular circumstances preferences and priorities For this reason it would not be valid to average all the scores indicated to obtain some form of consolidated performance or service delivery score
The report provides you with additional information about the benefits that were paid by each fund over the last year The report also provides information about the extent of cover provided for hospital medical and general treatment and any state-based differences in coverage The selection of indicators used in this report is not intended to represent the full range of factors that should be considered when comparing the performance of health funds The range of indicators has been limited to those for which there is reliable comparative information available
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 4
CONTENTS
Foreword 3
Using this report to compare funds 6
About the data used in this report 8
Key consumer issues 9
Health fund listing and contact details 14
Service performance 16
Hospital 20
Medical gap schemes 22
General treatment (extras) 25
Finances and costs 29
Health fund operations by state or territory 32
About the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman 41
Your health insurance checklist 42
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 5
List of Figures
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year 9
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year 10
Figure 3 Information complaints 11
List of Tables
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details 14
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints
(greater than 05 per cent market share) 18
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share) 19
Table 3 Hospital 21
Table 4A Medical services with no gap 23
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made 24
Table 5A General treatment (extras) 26
Table 5B General treatment (extras) Average amount of
costs covered by service 27
Table 6 Finances and costs 31
Table 7A New South Wales 33
Table 7B Victoria 34
Table 7C Queensland 35
Table 7D South Australia 36
Table 7E Western Australia 37
Table 7F Tasmania 38
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory 39
Table 7H Northern Territory 40
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 6
USING THIS REPORT TO COMPARE FUNDS
Disclaimer
bull Nothing contained in this report should be taken as a recommendation by the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman in favour of any particular health fund or health insurance policy
bull No single indicator should be used as an indicator of overall fund performance In most cases a seemingly poor performance on one indicator will be offset by a good performance on other factors
bull The information used in this report in order to compare health funds is based on data collected for regulatory purposes This information is the most appropriate independent and reliable data available
bull This report is intended to help you decide which health funds to consider though it wonrsquot necessarily indicate which of the fundrsquos policies to purchase Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits as well as cheaper policies that provide less
The State of the Health Funds Report
The State of the Health Funds Report (SOHFR) compares how health funds perform across the following criteria
bull service performance
bull hospital benefits
bull medical gap schemes
bull general treatment (extras) benefits
bull financial management
bull health fund operations
You can use the information contained in this report to identify possible funds to join or to assess your existing fundrsquos performance if yoursquore reviewing your current needs
You can use the range of indicators included in this report as a menu to choose the factors of most importance to youmdashnot all factors will be of equal importance to every individual or family
For instance if you prefer to do business with a health fund in person then you should consider the availability of retail offices to be an important consideration However if you prefer to do as much of your business as possible online the range of services available through the fundsrsquo websites will be more important than the branches
More information about particular indicators is provided in the explanations preceding each of the tables in this report
If yoursquore considering taking out private health insurance for the first time we suggest you use the report to identify a number of fundsmdashpreferably at least threemdashfor further investigation
Where to find more information about selecting a policy
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital cover such as the lsquoMedicare Levy Surcharge Exemptionrsquo and lsquoLifetime Health Coverrsquo
These brochures as well as other publications can be found at ombudsmangovau Some brochures can be obtained in hard copy on request from the Ombudsmanrsquos Office
This report does not include detailed information on price and benefits for particular health insurance policies Information on specific policies is available from the Ombudsmanrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau where you can search for and compare information about every health fund and policy in Australia
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 7
Fund names
Throughout this report health funds are referred to by an abbreviation of their registered name rather than any brand name that they might use This abbreviated name appears on the left side of the heading for each fund in the Health Fund Listing section Some funds use several different brand names
Current and recent brand names
Brand name Fund AAMI NIB
APIA NIB
Australian Country Health Medibank
Australian Health Management Medibank
Country Health Medibank
CY Health HBF
Druids GMHBA
Federation Health Latrobe
FIT GMHBA
Frank GMHBA
GMF Health HBF
Goldfields HBF
Government Employees Medibank
Grand United Australian Unity
HBA BUPA
Healthguard HBF
Illawarra Health Fund Medibank
IOOF NIB
IOR HCF
Manchester Unity HCF
MBF BUPA
Mutual Community BUPA
Mutual Health Medibank
NRMA Health BUPA
Qantas Assure NIB
RACT GMHBA
Suncorp NIB
SGIC (SA) BUPA
SGIO (WA) BUPA
Unihealth Teachers Health
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 8
ABOUT THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Open and restricted membership health funds
Membership of lsquoopenrsquo health funds is available to everyone
lsquoRestricted membershiprsquo health funds have certain membership criteria which mean they arenrsquot available to all consumers For example membership may be restricted to employees of certain companies or occupations or members of particular organisations
Where applicable open and restricted membership funds are listed separately in each of the tables in this report
Information about policies
The information included in the report on fund contributions and benefits indicates the average outcomes across all of a fundrsquos policies and so canrsquot be taken as an indicator of the price or benefit levels that can be expected for any particular policy
Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits and most also offer cheaper policies that provide less
This report can help you to decide which health funds to consider but wonrsquot necessarily help you to decide which of the fundsrsquo policies to purchase
For information about specific policies the website privatehealthgovau enables you to view standard information outlining the main features of any health insurance policy You can compare Standard Information Statements for any policy available for purchase from any fund including the level of cover excess and price The website is also a good resource of independent and reliable information about private health insurance
Data collection
The need to obtain independent reliable data has been a key consideration in putting together the report The data selected by the Ombudsman as the most appropriate available is collected by the industry regulator the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) APRA has supplied most of the data published in this report
Funds report to APRA for regulatory purposes and not all of the data is publicly available Some of this information is useful to consumers and is therefore reproduced in this report You should note that the data is collected primarily for regulatory purposes and not for the purposes of the State of the Health Funds Report Accordingly it is important to read the accompanying text explaining the data in conjunction with the tables
As funds differ in size most of the statistical information is presented as percentages or dollar amounts per membership for easier comparison No attempt has been made to weight the importance of various indicators as these are subjective judgements very much dependent on your particular circumstances preferences and priorities For this reason it would not be valid to average all the scores indicated to obtain some form of consolidated performance or service delivery score
The report provides you with additional information about the benefits that were paid by each fund over the last year The report also provides information about the extent of cover provided for hospital medical and general treatment and any state-based differences in coverage The selection of indicators used in this report is not intended to represent the full range of factors that should be considered when comparing the performance of health funds The range of indicators has been limited to those for which there is reliable comparative information available
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 5
List of Figures
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year 9
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year 10
Figure 3 Information complaints 11
List of Tables
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details 14
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints
(greater than 05 per cent market share) 18
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share) 19
Table 3 Hospital 21
Table 4A Medical services with no gap 23
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made 24
Table 5A General treatment (extras) 26
Table 5B General treatment (extras) Average amount of
costs covered by service 27
Table 6 Finances and costs 31
Table 7A New South Wales 33
Table 7B Victoria 34
Table 7C Queensland 35
Table 7D South Australia 36
Table 7E Western Australia 37
Table 7F Tasmania 38
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory 39
Table 7H Northern Territory 40
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 6
USING THIS REPORT TO COMPARE FUNDS
Disclaimer
bull Nothing contained in this report should be taken as a recommendation by the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman in favour of any particular health fund or health insurance policy
bull No single indicator should be used as an indicator of overall fund performance In most cases a seemingly poor performance on one indicator will be offset by a good performance on other factors
bull The information used in this report in order to compare health funds is based on data collected for regulatory purposes This information is the most appropriate independent and reliable data available
bull This report is intended to help you decide which health funds to consider though it wonrsquot necessarily indicate which of the fundrsquos policies to purchase Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits as well as cheaper policies that provide less
The State of the Health Funds Report
The State of the Health Funds Report (SOHFR) compares how health funds perform across the following criteria
bull service performance
bull hospital benefits
bull medical gap schemes
bull general treatment (extras) benefits
bull financial management
bull health fund operations
You can use the information contained in this report to identify possible funds to join or to assess your existing fundrsquos performance if yoursquore reviewing your current needs
You can use the range of indicators included in this report as a menu to choose the factors of most importance to youmdashnot all factors will be of equal importance to every individual or family
For instance if you prefer to do business with a health fund in person then you should consider the availability of retail offices to be an important consideration However if you prefer to do as much of your business as possible online the range of services available through the fundsrsquo websites will be more important than the branches
More information about particular indicators is provided in the explanations preceding each of the tables in this report
If yoursquore considering taking out private health insurance for the first time we suggest you use the report to identify a number of fundsmdashpreferably at least threemdashfor further investigation
Where to find more information about selecting a policy
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital cover such as the lsquoMedicare Levy Surcharge Exemptionrsquo and lsquoLifetime Health Coverrsquo
These brochures as well as other publications can be found at ombudsmangovau Some brochures can be obtained in hard copy on request from the Ombudsmanrsquos Office
This report does not include detailed information on price and benefits for particular health insurance policies Information on specific policies is available from the Ombudsmanrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau where you can search for and compare information about every health fund and policy in Australia
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 7
Fund names
Throughout this report health funds are referred to by an abbreviation of their registered name rather than any brand name that they might use This abbreviated name appears on the left side of the heading for each fund in the Health Fund Listing section Some funds use several different brand names
Current and recent brand names
Brand name Fund AAMI NIB
APIA NIB
Australian Country Health Medibank
Australian Health Management Medibank
Country Health Medibank
CY Health HBF
Druids GMHBA
Federation Health Latrobe
FIT GMHBA
Frank GMHBA
GMF Health HBF
Goldfields HBF
Government Employees Medibank
Grand United Australian Unity
HBA BUPA
Healthguard HBF
Illawarra Health Fund Medibank
IOOF NIB
IOR HCF
Manchester Unity HCF
MBF BUPA
Mutual Community BUPA
Mutual Health Medibank
NRMA Health BUPA
Qantas Assure NIB
RACT GMHBA
Suncorp NIB
SGIC (SA) BUPA
SGIO (WA) BUPA
Unihealth Teachers Health
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 8
ABOUT THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Open and restricted membership health funds
Membership of lsquoopenrsquo health funds is available to everyone
lsquoRestricted membershiprsquo health funds have certain membership criteria which mean they arenrsquot available to all consumers For example membership may be restricted to employees of certain companies or occupations or members of particular organisations
Where applicable open and restricted membership funds are listed separately in each of the tables in this report
Information about policies
The information included in the report on fund contributions and benefits indicates the average outcomes across all of a fundrsquos policies and so canrsquot be taken as an indicator of the price or benefit levels that can be expected for any particular policy
Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits and most also offer cheaper policies that provide less
This report can help you to decide which health funds to consider but wonrsquot necessarily help you to decide which of the fundsrsquo policies to purchase
For information about specific policies the website privatehealthgovau enables you to view standard information outlining the main features of any health insurance policy You can compare Standard Information Statements for any policy available for purchase from any fund including the level of cover excess and price The website is also a good resource of independent and reliable information about private health insurance
Data collection
The need to obtain independent reliable data has been a key consideration in putting together the report The data selected by the Ombudsman as the most appropriate available is collected by the industry regulator the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) APRA has supplied most of the data published in this report
Funds report to APRA for regulatory purposes and not all of the data is publicly available Some of this information is useful to consumers and is therefore reproduced in this report You should note that the data is collected primarily for regulatory purposes and not for the purposes of the State of the Health Funds Report Accordingly it is important to read the accompanying text explaining the data in conjunction with the tables
As funds differ in size most of the statistical information is presented as percentages or dollar amounts per membership for easier comparison No attempt has been made to weight the importance of various indicators as these are subjective judgements very much dependent on your particular circumstances preferences and priorities For this reason it would not be valid to average all the scores indicated to obtain some form of consolidated performance or service delivery score
The report provides you with additional information about the benefits that were paid by each fund over the last year The report also provides information about the extent of cover provided for hospital medical and general treatment and any state-based differences in coverage The selection of indicators used in this report is not intended to represent the full range of factors that should be considered when comparing the performance of health funds The range of indicators has been limited to those for which there is reliable comparative information available
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 6
USING THIS REPORT TO COMPARE FUNDS
Disclaimer
bull Nothing contained in this report should be taken as a recommendation by the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman in favour of any particular health fund or health insurance policy
bull No single indicator should be used as an indicator of overall fund performance In most cases a seemingly poor performance on one indicator will be offset by a good performance on other factors
bull The information used in this report in order to compare health funds is based on data collected for regulatory purposes This information is the most appropriate independent and reliable data available
bull This report is intended to help you decide which health funds to consider though it wonrsquot necessarily indicate which of the fundrsquos policies to purchase Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits as well as cheaper policies that provide less
The State of the Health Funds Report
The State of the Health Funds Report (SOHFR) compares how health funds perform across the following criteria
bull service performance
bull hospital benefits
bull medical gap schemes
bull general treatment (extras) benefits
bull financial management
bull health fund operations
You can use the information contained in this report to identify possible funds to join or to assess your existing fundrsquos performance if yoursquore reviewing your current needs
You can use the range of indicators included in this report as a menu to choose the factors of most importance to youmdashnot all factors will be of equal importance to every individual or family
For instance if you prefer to do business with a health fund in person then you should consider the availability of retail offices to be an important consideration However if you prefer to do as much of your business as possible online the range of services available through the fundsrsquo websites will be more important than the branches
More information about particular indicators is provided in the explanations preceding each of the tables in this report
If yoursquore considering taking out private health insurance for the first time we suggest you use the report to identify a number of fundsmdashpreferably at least threemdashfor further investigation
Where to find more information about selecting a policy
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital cover such as the lsquoMedicare Levy Surcharge Exemptionrsquo and lsquoLifetime Health Coverrsquo
These brochures as well as other publications can be found at ombudsmangovau Some brochures can be obtained in hard copy on request from the Ombudsmanrsquos Office
This report does not include detailed information on price and benefits for particular health insurance policies Information on specific policies is available from the Ombudsmanrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau where you can search for and compare information about every health fund and policy in Australia
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 7
Fund names
Throughout this report health funds are referred to by an abbreviation of their registered name rather than any brand name that they might use This abbreviated name appears on the left side of the heading for each fund in the Health Fund Listing section Some funds use several different brand names
Current and recent brand names
Brand name Fund AAMI NIB
APIA NIB
Australian Country Health Medibank
Australian Health Management Medibank
Country Health Medibank
CY Health HBF
Druids GMHBA
Federation Health Latrobe
FIT GMHBA
Frank GMHBA
GMF Health HBF
Goldfields HBF
Government Employees Medibank
Grand United Australian Unity
HBA BUPA
Healthguard HBF
Illawarra Health Fund Medibank
IOOF NIB
IOR HCF
Manchester Unity HCF
MBF BUPA
Mutual Community BUPA
Mutual Health Medibank
NRMA Health BUPA
Qantas Assure NIB
RACT GMHBA
Suncorp NIB
SGIC (SA) BUPA
SGIO (WA) BUPA
Unihealth Teachers Health
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 8
ABOUT THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Open and restricted membership health funds
Membership of lsquoopenrsquo health funds is available to everyone
lsquoRestricted membershiprsquo health funds have certain membership criteria which mean they arenrsquot available to all consumers For example membership may be restricted to employees of certain companies or occupations or members of particular organisations
Where applicable open and restricted membership funds are listed separately in each of the tables in this report
Information about policies
The information included in the report on fund contributions and benefits indicates the average outcomes across all of a fundrsquos policies and so canrsquot be taken as an indicator of the price or benefit levels that can be expected for any particular policy
Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits and most also offer cheaper policies that provide less
This report can help you to decide which health funds to consider but wonrsquot necessarily help you to decide which of the fundsrsquo policies to purchase
For information about specific policies the website privatehealthgovau enables you to view standard information outlining the main features of any health insurance policy You can compare Standard Information Statements for any policy available for purchase from any fund including the level of cover excess and price The website is also a good resource of independent and reliable information about private health insurance
Data collection
The need to obtain independent reliable data has been a key consideration in putting together the report The data selected by the Ombudsman as the most appropriate available is collected by the industry regulator the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) APRA has supplied most of the data published in this report
Funds report to APRA for regulatory purposes and not all of the data is publicly available Some of this information is useful to consumers and is therefore reproduced in this report You should note that the data is collected primarily for regulatory purposes and not for the purposes of the State of the Health Funds Report Accordingly it is important to read the accompanying text explaining the data in conjunction with the tables
As funds differ in size most of the statistical information is presented as percentages or dollar amounts per membership for easier comparison No attempt has been made to weight the importance of various indicators as these are subjective judgements very much dependent on your particular circumstances preferences and priorities For this reason it would not be valid to average all the scores indicated to obtain some form of consolidated performance or service delivery score
The report provides you with additional information about the benefits that were paid by each fund over the last year The report also provides information about the extent of cover provided for hospital medical and general treatment and any state-based differences in coverage The selection of indicators used in this report is not intended to represent the full range of factors that should be considered when comparing the performance of health funds The range of indicators has been limited to those for which there is reliable comparative information available
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 7
Fund names
Throughout this report health funds are referred to by an abbreviation of their registered name rather than any brand name that they might use This abbreviated name appears on the left side of the heading for each fund in the Health Fund Listing section Some funds use several different brand names
Current and recent brand names
Brand name Fund AAMI NIB
APIA NIB
Australian Country Health Medibank
Australian Health Management Medibank
Country Health Medibank
CY Health HBF
Druids GMHBA
Federation Health Latrobe
FIT GMHBA
Frank GMHBA
GMF Health HBF
Goldfields HBF
Government Employees Medibank
Grand United Australian Unity
HBA BUPA
Healthguard HBF
Illawarra Health Fund Medibank
IOOF NIB
IOR HCF
Manchester Unity HCF
MBF BUPA
Mutual Community BUPA
Mutual Health Medibank
NRMA Health BUPA
Qantas Assure NIB
RACT GMHBA
Suncorp NIB
SGIC (SA) BUPA
SGIO (WA) BUPA
Unihealth Teachers Health
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 8
ABOUT THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Open and restricted membership health funds
Membership of lsquoopenrsquo health funds is available to everyone
lsquoRestricted membershiprsquo health funds have certain membership criteria which mean they arenrsquot available to all consumers For example membership may be restricted to employees of certain companies or occupations or members of particular organisations
Where applicable open and restricted membership funds are listed separately in each of the tables in this report
Information about policies
The information included in the report on fund contributions and benefits indicates the average outcomes across all of a fundrsquos policies and so canrsquot be taken as an indicator of the price or benefit levels that can be expected for any particular policy
Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits and most also offer cheaper policies that provide less
This report can help you to decide which health funds to consider but wonrsquot necessarily help you to decide which of the fundsrsquo policies to purchase
For information about specific policies the website privatehealthgovau enables you to view standard information outlining the main features of any health insurance policy You can compare Standard Information Statements for any policy available for purchase from any fund including the level of cover excess and price The website is also a good resource of independent and reliable information about private health insurance
Data collection
The need to obtain independent reliable data has been a key consideration in putting together the report The data selected by the Ombudsman as the most appropriate available is collected by the industry regulator the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) APRA has supplied most of the data published in this report
Funds report to APRA for regulatory purposes and not all of the data is publicly available Some of this information is useful to consumers and is therefore reproduced in this report You should note that the data is collected primarily for regulatory purposes and not for the purposes of the State of the Health Funds Report Accordingly it is important to read the accompanying text explaining the data in conjunction with the tables
As funds differ in size most of the statistical information is presented as percentages or dollar amounts per membership for easier comparison No attempt has been made to weight the importance of various indicators as these are subjective judgements very much dependent on your particular circumstances preferences and priorities For this reason it would not be valid to average all the scores indicated to obtain some form of consolidated performance or service delivery score
The report provides you with additional information about the benefits that were paid by each fund over the last year The report also provides information about the extent of cover provided for hospital medical and general treatment and any state-based differences in coverage The selection of indicators used in this report is not intended to represent the full range of factors that should be considered when comparing the performance of health funds The range of indicators has been limited to those for which there is reliable comparative information available
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 8
ABOUT THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Open and restricted membership health funds
Membership of lsquoopenrsquo health funds is available to everyone
lsquoRestricted membershiprsquo health funds have certain membership criteria which mean they arenrsquot available to all consumers For example membership may be restricted to employees of certain companies or occupations or members of particular organisations
Where applicable open and restricted membership funds are listed separately in each of the tables in this report
Information about policies
The information included in the report on fund contributions and benefits indicates the average outcomes across all of a fundrsquos policies and so canrsquot be taken as an indicator of the price or benefit levels that can be expected for any particular policy
Virtually all funds offer more expensive policies that can be expected to provide better than average benefits and most also offer cheaper policies that provide less
This report can help you to decide which health funds to consider but wonrsquot necessarily help you to decide which of the fundsrsquo policies to purchase
For information about specific policies the website privatehealthgovau enables you to view standard information outlining the main features of any health insurance policy You can compare Standard Information Statements for any policy available for purchase from any fund including the level of cover excess and price The website is also a good resource of independent and reliable information about private health insurance
Data collection
The need to obtain independent reliable data has been a key consideration in putting together the report The data selected by the Ombudsman as the most appropriate available is collected by the industry regulator the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) APRA has supplied most of the data published in this report
Funds report to APRA for regulatory purposes and not all of the data is publicly available Some of this information is useful to consumers and is therefore reproduced in this report You should note that the data is collected primarily for regulatory purposes and not for the purposes of the State of the Health Funds Report Accordingly it is important to read the accompanying text explaining the data in conjunction with the tables
As funds differ in size most of the statistical information is presented as percentages or dollar amounts per membership for easier comparison No attempt has been made to weight the importance of various indicators as these are subjective judgements very much dependent on your particular circumstances preferences and priorities For this reason it would not be valid to average all the scores indicated to obtain some form of consolidated performance or service delivery score
The report provides you with additional information about the benefits that were paid by each fund over the last year The report also provides information about the extent of cover provided for hospital medical and general treatment and any state-based differences in coverage The selection of indicators used in this report is not intended to represent the full range of factors that should be considered when comparing the performance of health funds The range of indicators has been limited to those for which there is reliable comparative information available
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
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E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 9
KEY CONSUMER ISSUES
High levels of private health insurance complaints in 2016ndash17
In its role as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the Office) deals with complaints about any aspect of private health insurance The number of complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) has increased significantly over the last four years In 2016ndash17 we received 5750 private health insurance complaints compared to 4416 in 2015ndash16 This is an increase of over 1300 complaints within one year which is the largest rise we have experienced over the past ten years
There is no single cause for the increase in complaints made by health insurance consumers Our Office monitors consumer issues raised by complainants throughout the year and noted that there was an increase in complaints across a wide range of issues Consumers experienced increased
problems associated with benefits service written information verbal advice and health insurance membership administration
Part of the increase in complaints can be attributed to consumers experiencing problems obtaining timely responses from health insurer complaint officers This occurred during peak months including March 2017 when there was an increase in complaints about delays in benefits and service issues
Our Office identified health insurers who were the subject of the increase in complaints in 2016ndash17 and assisted them with strategies to reduce complaints Between 1 July and 31 December 2017 this assistance and the efforts by health insurers to better address complaints contributed to a 28 per cent reduction in complaints to our Office compared to the same period in 2016ndash17
Figure 1 Total complaints and enquiries by year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
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E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 10
Private health insurance reforms and the future of privatehealthgovau
In 2017 the Government announced significant reforms to health insurance and implementation of these reforms will commence in 2018 A key aim of the reforms is to make health insurance simpler for consumers to understand by introducing common health insurance terms and classifying policies into simpler categories The consumer website privatehealthgovau will be updated and improved as part of these reforms
Privatehealthgovau was launched on 1 April 2007 and since then the website has been regularly updated to improve the search features and respond to changes in health insurance Usage of the website by consumers has increased annually with 1297851 unique visitors in 2016ndash17 as shown in the figure below
The available data suggests that general growth in the sitersquos usage is due to the site becoming better known via recommendations and search results our Officersquos own initiatives to promote the website to consumers and regular reminders of the sitersquos existence in annual mailings of Standard Information Statements and Lifetime Health Cover letters
Our Office has a consumer information and advice role which included responding to 3749 individual enquiries last year Over two-thirds of our enquiries are received via the website
The website is the only independent source of health insurance information in Australia which includes all health insurers and insurance policies available A consumer can search and compare policies based on levels of benefits included and excluded services and premiums An important principle of the website comparison feature is that it does not favour any particular type of policy The website comparison feature is based on the individual being able to choose what is appropriate for their circumstances
Due to the large number of policies available for purchase website users are often presented with a large number of choices This indicates that private health insurance in Australia is competitive and there are a large number of choices for consumers but it also makes the task of sorting through policies more complex
We have commenced the project to upgrade the consumer website to reflect the announced reforms This is expected to be available from April 2019
Figure 2 privatehealthgovau visitors per year
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 11
Providing high quality information to consumers
The reforms aim to reduce health insurance complaints in the future by simplifying health insurance and providing better information to consumers In the meantime our Office considers that the complaints about health insurance information particularly verbal advice could be reduced if health insurers focused on improving their own practices within their organisations
In 2016ndash17 we received 599 complaints about health insurance information and of those 408 related to verbal advice In a typical case there will be an allegation of incorrect or unhelpful advice being provided during a customer service phone call which has resulted in an insured person
incurring an unexpected cost Investigating a complaint involves checking what records can be provided about the phone call and forming a view as to whether the advice was reasonable or not
Our Office works with health insurers to better understand the causes of complaints about verbal advice and we focus attention on those insurers that experience higher numbers of complaints What seems evident is that the quality of training and accuracy of verbal advice provided by health insurer customer service staff varies between insurers For those insurers that have a higher incidence of complaints about verbal advice it seems reasonable to question whether the training of staff provision of resources such as internal guidelines and levels of quality monitoring are sufficient
Figure 3 Information complaints
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 12
The performance of private health insurers
During 2016ndash17 the health insurance industry returned 86 per cent of contributions to policy holders through paying benefits towards hospital and general treatment costs This result is marginally lower than the previous year where 861 per cent of contributions were returned2
Some insurers performed better than the average of 86 per cent by returning well over 90 per cent of contributions to policyholders as benefits
The percentage of overall benefits returned to policyholders is an easy to understand method of comparing different health insurers and how they have performed in meeting the needs of their consumers Although some of the variance in results can be attributed to an insurerrsquos geographic location and customer profile this is perhaps the best measurement available to compare one insurerrsquos performance against another or against the industry See Table 6 on page 31 for the benefits as a percentage of contributions for each insurer
Our Office also tracks and compares the performance of health insurers using complaint data collected through the investigation of consumer complaints We compare an insurerrsquos share of total complaints against their market share to see if they have an average share of complaints
An incident of complaint which is higher than an insurerrsquos market share indicates that consumers are experiencing a higher level of problems with the service benefits and administration of the insurer See Table 2 on page 18 for the complaint performance results for each insurer
Our Office also produces quarterly updates on the complaint performance of each insurer3 Regular complaint reporting helps identify any problems within individual health insurers and any potential systemic problems early If a health insurerrsquos complaint share is reported as higher than average in a quarter there is a solid incentive for the organisation to take action to address complaints and change practices to reduce the causes of complaints The insurer can then track the success of their action to address consumer problems by seeing whether the insurerrsquos complaint performance improves in subsequent reports
2 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Operations of the Private Health Insurers Report 2015ndash16 and 2016ndash17 apragovauPHIPublicationsPagesOperations-of-Private-Health-Insurers-Annual-Reportaspx
3 Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Quarterly Bulletins available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publicationsprivate-health-insurance-quarterly-bulletin
Helping consumers understand private health insurance
In addition to the resources available on privatehealthgovau our Office provides a number of resources that enable consumers to better understand their health insurance and assist them in making informed choices about their health care These consumer information services help address the key causes of complaints as expressed by complainants to our Office
Our Office helps consumers understand their benefit entitlements so they are more knowledgeable about their cover and can make more informed choices about their health insurance and medical treatment Our Officersquos factsheets and brochures aim to address common causes of complaints by providing advice to consumers based on our complaint-handling experience These are available at ombudsmangovau4
Our Office has developed a number of brochures including
bull The Right to Change a consumer guide to transferring from one health insurance product to another
bull Health Insurance Choice choosing a Health Insurance Policy
bull Privatehealthgovau Australiarsquos leading independent source of information about private health insurance
bull Doctors Bill managing doctorrsquos bills and potential out-of-pocket costs
bull Waiting Periods for Health Insurance how and why waiting periods work including pre-existing conditions
4 See Private Health Insurance Publications available at ombudsmangovauaboutprivate-health-insuranceprivate-health-insurance-publications
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 13
Our Office has also developed a number of fact sheets including
bull Obstetrics and Pregnancy questions to ask your fund if yoursquore planning to start a family
bull Premium Increases the reasons and processes behind premium increases
bull Informed Financial Consent your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
bull Membership Arrears keeping your policy payments up to date
bull Policy Exclusions and Restrictions what isnrsquot covered on your policy
bull Mental Health Treatment and Health Insurance cover for psychiatric services rehabilitation and psychology
bull Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items your policy may not cover
bull Clearance Certificates what to do if transferring between funds
bull Assisted Reproductive Services what can be covered for IVF GIFT and related services
bull Podiatric Surgery cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
bull The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule how it applies and the Officersquos role in complaints
bull Dental and Oral Surgery how private health insurance covers dental surgery
bull Orthodontic Treatment what it involves and how itrsquos covered by private health insurance
bull Insulin Pumps how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
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E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 14
HEALTH FUND LISTING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The following tables list all Australian registered health funds The lsquoopenrsquo membership funds provide policies to the general public The lsquorestrictedrsquo funds provide policies only through specific employment groups professional associations or unions
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Open membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
Australian Unity Australian Unity Health Ltd 132 939 australianunitycomau
BUPA Bupa HI Pty Ltd 134 135 bupacomau
CBHS Corporate
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd 1300 586 462 cbhscorporatehealthcomau
CDH CDH Benefits Fund 02 4990 1385 cdhbfcomau
CUA Health CUA Health Ltd 1300 499 260 cuacomauhealth
GMHBA GMHBA Ltd Frank 1300 446 422 gmhbacomau
GU Corporate Grand United Corporate Health 1800 249 966 guhealthcomau
HBF HBF Health Ltd 133 423 hbfcomau
HCF Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia
131 334 hcfcomau
HCI Health Care Insurance Ltd 1800 804 950 hciltdcomau
Healthcomau Healthcomau 1300 199 802 healthcomau
Health Partners Health Partners Ltd 1300 113 113 healthpartnerscomau
HIF Health Insurance Fund of Australia Ltd
1300 134 060 hifcomau
Latrobe Latrobe Health Services 1300 362 144 latrobehealthcomau
MDHF Mildura Health Fund Ltd 03 5023 0269 mildurahealthfundcomau
Medibank Medibank Private Ltd Australian Health Management
132 331 134 246
medibankcomau ahmcomau
MO Health [1] MyOwn Health Insurance 1300 300 338 myowncomau
NIB NIB Health Funds Ltd Qantas Assure APIA
131 463 nibcomau
Onemedifund National Health Benefits Australia Pty Ltd
1800 148 626 onemedifundcomau
Peoplecare Peoplecare Health Insurance Limited
1800 808 690 peoplecarecomau
Phoenix Phoenix Health Fund Ltd 1800 028 817 phoenixhealthfundcomau
QCH Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
1800 813 415 qldcountryhealthcomau
St Lukes St Lukes Health 1300 651 988 stlukescomau
Transport Health Transport Health Pty Ltd 1300 806 808 transporthealthcomau
Westfund Westfund Limited 1300 937 838 westfundcomau
[1] MO Health commenced operations after the end of the reporting period (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) and for this reason does not appear elsewhere in the report
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 15
Table 1 Health funds listing and contact details
Restricted membership health funds Abbreviation Full name or other names Phone number Website
ACA ACA Health Benefits Fund 1300 368 390 acahealthcomau
CBHS CBHS Health Fund Ltd 1300 654 123 cbhscomau
Defence Health Defence Health Ltd 1800 335 425 defencehealthcomau
Doctorsrsquo Health The Doctorsrsquo Health Fund 1800 226 126 doctorshealthfundcomau
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd
1300 703 703 eshealthcomau
Navy Navy Health Ltd 1300 306 289 navyhealthcomau
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Midwives Health Pty Ltd
1300 344 000 nmhealthcomau
Police Health Police Health 1800 603 603 policehealthcomau
Reserve Bank Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd 1800 027 299 myrbhscomau
RT Health Fund Railway and Transport Health Fund Ltd
1300 886 123 rthealthfundcomau
Teachers Health Teachers Health Fund 1300 728 188 teachershealthcomau
TUH Teachersrsquo Union Health Fund 1300 360 701 tuhcomau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 16
SERVICE PERFORMANCEThe level of complaints that the PHIO receives about a fund relative to its market share is a reasonable indicator of the service performance of most funds
Whether a fund can attract new members and more importantly retain members is also an indicator of member satisfaction
Member retention
The member retention indicator is used as one measure of the comparative effectiveness of health funds and their level of member satisfaction This indicator measures what percentage of fund members (hospital memberships only) have remained with the fund for two years or more Figures are not adjusted for policies that lapse when a member dies as these are not reported to APRA
Most restricted membership funds rate well on this measure compared to open membership funds This may be due to the particular features of restricted membership funds especially their links with employment
Membership change
The membership change indicator shows the change in the number of policy holders over the year from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2017 Both the percentage change and number are included Negative figures indicate that the fund has experienced a net reduction in membership over the period As indicated above member deaths would contribute to this figure
PHIO complaints in context
The number of complaints received by the PHIO is very small compared to fund membership
There are a number of factors (other than service performance) that can influence the level of complaints the PHIO receives about a fund These include the information provided to fund members about the PHIO through general publicity or by the fund and the effectiveness of the fundrsquos own complaint-handling process
Complaints percentage compared to market share percentage
The first table (2A) includes all funds with a national market share of 05 per cent or more
In that table each fundrsquos market share (as at 30 June 2017) is shown in the market share column Subsequent columns show the percentage of PHIO complaints in various categories received about each fund These percentages should be compared with the market share percentage If a fund has a higher complaints percentage than its market share it indicates that members of that fund are more likely to complain than the average of all fund members
The table also indicates what percentage of Benefit and Service complaints are received about each fund
Benefit complaints include problems of non-payment delayed payment the level of benefit paid or the gap paid by the member
Service complaints are about the general quality of service provided by fund staff the quality of customer service advice and premium payment problems
All complaints takes account of all complaints received by the PHIO about the fund All complaints includes complaints investigated as well as complaints that were finalised without the need for investigation
Complaints investigated is a measure of how many complaints required a higher level of intervention from the Ombudsman Most complaints to the Ombudsman can be finalised by referring the matter to fund staff to resolve or by the PHIO staff providing information to the complainant Complaints which fund staff have not been able to resolve to a memberrsquos satisfaction are investigated by the Ombudsmanrsquos Officemdashso the rating on complaints investigated is an indicator of the effectiveness of each fundrsquos own internal complaints-handling
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 17
Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
For these smaller funds it is not practical to show the percentage of complaints in each of the above categories because of the very small numbers of complaints
This separate table (2B) therefore shows the actual number of all complaints received and the number of complaints investigated as well as whether the number is below the number expected based on the fundrsquos market share
While these funds have a very low national market share many are nevertheless very significant in a particular state or region
Code of Conduct
The self-regulatory code for health funds deals with the quality of advice provided to consumers and sets standards for training of health fund staff and others responsible for advising consumers about private health insurance It also requires funds to have effective complaint-handling procedures Funds that have completed the compliance processes for becoming a signatory to the code are indicated in the table (as at January 2018)
For more information about the Code of Conduct please see privatehealthcareaustraliaorgaucodeofconduct
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201718
Table 2A Membership retention and complaints (greater than 05 per cent market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number) Market share
Complaints compared to market share Code of Conduct memberBenefits Service All complaints
Complaints investigated
Open membership funds Australian Unity 78 -17 (3362) 30 52 36 48 59 Yes
BUPA 85 08 (13829) 269 210 99 176 274 Yes
CUA Health 73 -13 (525) 06 15 05 15 50 Yes
GMHBA 63 68 (9451) 23 31 08 20 18 Yes
HBF 97 09 (4754) 80 43 28 44 24 Yes
HCF 84 14 (9503) 104 107 48 97 116 Yes
Healthcomau 70 -40 (1583) 06 21 03 12 28 No
Health Partners 89 19 (748) 06 03 02 03 06 Yes
HIF 66 -15 (872) 09 04 03 06 02 Yes
Latrobe 73 07 (319) 07 04 01 02 04 Yes
Medibank 80 -13 (24201) 269 344 714 463 263 Yes
NIB 78 38 (20204) 83 85 30 61 85 Yes
Peoplecare 79 60 (1999) 05 03 00 02 00 Yes
Westfund 83 -21 (968) 07 01 00 01 06 Yes
Restricted membership funds CBHS 92 42 (3908) 15 05 02 06 06 Yes
Defence Health 90 91 (11033) 20 09 05 07 02 Yes
Teachers Health 92 64 (8410) 23 29 08 15 24 Yes
TUH 83 33 (1194) 06 06 00 04 07 Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overall
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 19
Table 2B Smaller funds (less than 05 per cent national market share)
Fund name (abbreviated)
Member retention (hospital
cover)
Membership change [1]
(number)
Number complaints
received
Below market share
Number complaints
investigated
Below market share
Code of Conduct member
Open membership funds CBHS Corporate
na na 1 Yes 1 No No
CDH 89 -29 (77) 0 Yes 0 Yes No
GU Corporate 66 05 (154) 23 No 6 No Yes
HCI 89 302 (1437) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
MDHF 89 21 (316) 2 Yes 0 Yes No
Onemedifund 90 16 (91) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Phoenix 86 98 (747) 4 Yes 0 Yes Yes
QCH 85 94 (2062) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
St Lukes 88 65 (1821) 8 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Transport Health
59 -135 (1277) 9 No 0 Yes Yes
Restricted membership funds ACA 92 09 (44) 1 Yes 0 Yes Yes
Doctorsrsquo Health 88 108 (1613) 10 Yes 3 No Yes
Emergency Services
na na 0 Yes 0 Yes No
Navy Health 88 52 (993) 4 Yes 2 No Yes
Nurses and Midwives
na na 1 Yes 0 Yes No
Police Health 92 36 (744) 3 Yes 1 Yes Yes
Reserve Bank 91 08 (19) 0 Yes 0 Yes Yes
RT Health Fund 89 28 (634) 21 No 2 No Yes
[1] The industry experienced a growth of 099 per cent or 64514 memberships overallNote lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 20
HOSPITALTable 3 provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment A higher percentage indicates that on average the fundrsquos members are covered for a higher proportion of hospital charges
Itrsquos important to remember most funds offer a choice of different policiesmdashthe percentages indicated in this table arenrsquot indicative of any single policy but are an average of all policies offered by the fund
Hospital policies
This table provides a general comparison of health insurance for private hospital treatment (hospital policies) provided by each fund
Hospital policies provide benefits towards the following costs if you elect to be a private patient in a private or public hospital
bull hospital fees for accommodation operating theatre charges and other charges raised by the hospital
bull the costs of drugs or prostheses required for hospital treatment and
bull fees charged by doctors (surgeons anaesthetists pathologists etc) for in-hospital treatment
Most funds offer a range of different policies providing hospital cover These policies may differ on the basis of the range of treatments that are covered to what extent those treatments are covered the level of excess or co-payments you may be required to pay if you go to hospital and the price and discounts available to you
Hospital charges covered
This column indicates the proportion of total charges associated with treatment of private patients covered by each fundrsquos benefits This includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) excesses or co-payments and associated benefits
The figures shown are average outcomes across all of each fundrsquos hospital policies Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average Cheaper policies including those with higher excesses or co-payments may cover less
The use of an average figure applying across all of each fundrsquos policies will mean that funds with a high proportion of their membership in lower costrestricted and excluded benefit policies will have a lower average figure
Information is not provided for some funds in some states where there were insufficient numbers reported to APRAmdashgenerally this occurs in states where the fund does not have a large membership
The information provided in this table presents the position taking account of all of each fundrsquos policies It is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
Additional information
The separate Health fund operations by state or territory tables in this report includes information on the number of lsquoagreement hospitalsrsquo under contract to each fund in each state
For additional information on the medical gap benefits provided through hospital policies please refer to the separate Medical gap schemes section
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a hospital cover policy It also includes information on government incentives relating to hospital policies such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption and Lifetime Health Cover The brochure is available on ombudsmangovau and privatehealthgovau
PHIO consumer website
The privatehealthgovau website provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and agreement hospitals for each health fund
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 21
Table 3 Hospital
Fund name (abbreviated)
hospital related charges covered [1]
ACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NTOpen membership fundsAustralian Unity 851 874 907 886 921 888 900 836BUPA 829 888 932 910 955 884 936 899CBHS Corporate na 598 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 957 940 951 852 944 952 naCUA Health 740 888 911 925 904 895 918 935GMHBA 712 811 890 848 870 866 900 806GU Corporate 858 865 904 879 879 879 882 815HBF 838 894 938 916 933 960 951 912HCF 875 931 938 924 953 901 937 888HCI 844 883 942 892 947 957 958 953Healthcomau 775 809 849 845 871 833 872 871Health Partners 820 893 932 932 957 729 959 963HIF 734 882 908 911 922 926 950 936Latrobe 788 883 924 910 910 923 921 930MDHF 847 931 936 932 918 943 899 954Medibank 837 895 928 903 941 905 936 903NIB 760 876 860 845 907 844 903 827Onemedifund 978 930 953 928 968 951 966 naPeoplecare 756 912 928 915 918 932 932 958Phoenix 875 952 954 940 973 956 951 1000QCH 868 930 939 898 943 909 1000 904St Lukes 939 933 935 913 938 915 948 920Transport Health 760 909 949 901 914 951 957 naWestfund 873 938 957 922 973 963 961 916Restricted membership fundsACA 851 937 952 960 939 964 977 naCBHS 837 899 941 931 961 922 964 850Defence Health 854 913 940 926 952 935 949 925Doctorsrsquo Health 898 925 933 934 922 921 890 889Emergency Services na 662 1000 872 841 na na naNavy Health 864 918 930 927 952 933 974 921Nurses and Midwives 602 842 882 865 na na 943 na
Police Health 870 916 935 928 979 932 971 930Reserve Bank 752 924 976 957 993 965 979 naRT Health Fund 880 939 935 937 951 924 937 935Teachers Health 861 914 933 936 950 910 952 888TUH 83 91 93 92 87 92 91 87
[1] Includes charges for hospital accommodation theatre costs prostheses and specialist fees (not including the Medicare benefit) and associated benefits (after any excesses and co-payments are deducted)
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 22
MEDICAL GAP SCHEMESHealth insurer lsquomedical gap schemesrsquo are designed to eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket costs incurred by a patient for in-hospital medical services If a service is lsquono gaprsquo it means no cost was incurred by the patient as the full cost was covered by Medicare and the health fund A reduced cost is incurred by the patient for what is called a lsquoknown gaprsquo service
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap than other funds it indicates the fund has a more effective gap scheme in that state The figures provided are averagesmdashit is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Fund gap schemes and agreements
Doctors are free to decide whether or not to use a particular fundrsquos gap cover arrangements for each individual patient Factors that can affect the acceptance of the scheme by doctors include
bull whether the fund has a substantial share of the health insurance market in a particular state or region
bull the level of fund benefits paid under the gap arrangements (compared with the doctorrsquos desired fee) and
bull the design of the fundrsquos gap cover arrangements including any administrative burden for the doctor
State-based differences
Information is provided on a state basis because the effectiveness of some fundsrsquo gap schemes can differ between states and these differences are not apparent in the national figures
Most differences are due to the level of doctorsrsquo fees which vary significantly between different states and between regional areas and capital cities In some states funds are able to provide more effective coverage of gaps because doctors charge less than the national average In addition where a doctorrsquos fee for an in-hospital service is at or below the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee there will be no gap to the fund member
If a health fundrsquos percentage of services with no gap is higher than that of a fund in another state it does not necessarily mean the fundrsquos scheme is more effective because state-based differences could be the cause
Information is not provided for some funds in some states as the numbers are not reported to APRA for states in which the fund does not have a sufficiently large membership (in which case these figures are included with figures for the state in which a fund has the largest number of members)
Comparing different gap schemes
If a health fund has a higher percentage of services covered at no gap (in the same stateterritory) compared with another fund it is an indicator of a more effective gap scheme in that state Over the whole fund it is more likely that a medical service can be provided at no cost to the consumer but it is no guarantee that a particular doctor will choose to use the fundrsquos gap scheme
Percentage of services with no gapsmdashthe proportion of services for which a gap is not payable by the patient after the impact of fund benefits schemes and agreements
Percentage of services with no gap or where known gap payment mademdashthis table includes both the percentage of no gap services and what is called lsquoknown gaprsquo services Known gap schemes are an arrangement where the fund pays an additional benefit on the understanding that the provider advises the patient of costs upfront
These tables take into account all of the fundrsquos policies The information in the tables is not indicative of any individual policy offered by the fund but is an average for the total fund membership
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 23
Table 4A Medical services with no gap
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gapACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 836 909 927 920 934 887 927 866BUPA 785 842 864 821 854 734 866 802CBHS Corporate na 700 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 874 na na na na na naCUA Health 862 905 913 934 854 877 928 851GMHBA 583 763 769 819 770 715 749 741GU Corporate 787 878 921 883 923 855 923 936HBF 554 654 661 622 577 878 621 462HCF 809 910 893 920 903 852 908 863HCI 863 888 904 894 904 930 939 970Healthcomau 744 846 874 872 840 842 911 851Health Partners 767 883 915 930 938 852 815 940HIF 746 841 882 890 888 870 927 889Latrobe 508 757 799 814 767 763 680 580MDHF 832 806 818 830 863 723 615 694Medibank 798 884 846 876 903 736 922 816NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 876 894 900 912 911 859 942 naPeoplecare 749 924 912 914 899 893 944 827Phoenix 741 922 912 922 943 865 954 1000QCH 316 922 921 918 899 857 927 861St Lukes 773 813 808 803 799 713 918 933Transport Health 593 874 922 893 899 590 991 naWestfund 669 860 846 854 913 862 769 629Restricted membership fundsACA 833 908 936 934 964 910 937 naCBHS 804 887 914 924 908 868 952 827Defence Health 793 892 917 927 907 882 933 885Doctorsrsquo Health 887 921 937 944 928 891 933 761Emergency Services na 600 na 519 1000 na na naNavy Health 787 898 921 913 927 871 926 890Nurses and Midwives 1000 857 761 382 na na 1000 naPolice Health 835 910 887 889 918 843 930 858Reserve Bank 581 899 935 940 961 906 922 naRT Health Fund 815 929 921 933 942 863 933 877Teachers Health 846 902 911 929 911 854 944 915TUH 783 888 920 926 906 895 919 809
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 24
Table 4B Medical services with no gap or where known gap payment made
Fund name (abbreviated)
of services with no gap or where known gap payment madeACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 925 960 976 958 981 952 973 897BUPA 854 884 902 851 905 784 900 856CBHS Corporate na 1000 1000 1000 na na na naCDH na 973 na na na na na naCUA Health 939 962 986 978 972 955 989 1000GMHBA 829 908 894 930 928 855 854 920GU Corporate 894 941 978 942 974 935 968 987HBF 921 949 977 955 956 996 892 1006HCF 949 983 994 989 998 970 997 975HCI 954 951 982 950 995 975 992 1000Healthcomau 933 950 971 960 987 944 998 957Health Partners 905 949 979 967 997 970 972 970HIF 917 951 973 960 979 965 987 977Latrobe 991 992 998 996 990 1000 981 1000MDHF 921 977 977 928 972 936 890 958Medibank 929 959 934 934 989 887 981 938NIB 675 888 882 841 917 747 829 802Onemedifund 991 967 973 974 981 967 989 naPeoplecare 923 972 987 970 990 965 992 1000Phoenix 933 979 988 985 992 958 1000 1000QCH 491 972 990 977 977 962 967 962St Lukes 784 862 866 861 894 765 983 967Transport Health 846 975 979 962 1000 965 1070 naWestfund 794 907 979 931 960 949 820 682Restricted membership fundsACA 922 968 989 976 984 980 978 naCBHS 940 959 982 969 988 945 990 957Defence Health 938 964 988 977 996 961 989 965Doctorsrsquo Health 970 983 992 990 998 972 968 985Emergency Services na 600 na 731 1000 na na naNavy Health 935 965 985 973 994 962 988 954Nurses and Midwives 1000 956 1000 529 na na 1000 naPolice Health 974 959 978 966 995 937 981 954Reserve Bank 903 966 988 981 994 973 963 naRT Health Fund 960 978 985 977 989 954 998 988Teachers Health 955 967 985 979 996 950 991 966TUH 880 960 981 975 956 974 975 977
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity or very low activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 25
GENERAL TREATMENT (EXTRAS)General treatment or extras policies provide benefits towards a range of out-of-hospital health services The most commonly included services are dental optical physiotherapy and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription medicines
The first table shows the average proportion of service charges covered by each fund per state (5A) for all their policies and services The second table (5B) shows the information according to the service being covered Generally higher-cost policies cover a higher proportion of charges
General treatment
General treatment policies also known as lsquoancillaryrsquo or lsquoextrasrsquo5 provide benefits towards a range of health-related services not provided by a doctor including but not limited to
bull dental fees and charges
bull optometry cost of glasses and lenses
bull physiotherapy chiropractic services and other therapies including natural and complementary therapies
bull prescribed medicines not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Percentage of charges covered all services by state
This table indicates what proportion of total charges associated with general treatment services is covered by each fundrsquos benefits This averages outcomes across all of each fundrsquos general treatment policies and services Higher cost policies will generally cover a greater proportion of charges than indicated by this average while cheaper policies may cover less
Average costs covered for each service type
This additional table provides information on the proportion of the total charge for each service type covered by each fund on average across all of the fundrsquos general treatment policies
5 Also known as lsquoessentialsrsquo cover in Western Australia
This is intended to provide a broad comparative indicator of fund general treatment benefits to allow comparisons between funds and should not be regarded as an indicator of how much of a bill for any particular service will be covered
Ambulance
Some funds do not provide ambulance cover through any of their general treatment policies but offer this as a component of hospital cover These funds show as lsquonarsquo under the ambulance column Most ambulance services in Queensland and Tasmania are provided free to residents of those states
Preferred providers
Many funds establish lsquopreferred providerrsquo or lsquoparticipating providerrsquo arrangements with some suppliers of general treatment services Those providers offer an agreed charge for fund members resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs for members after fund benefits are taken into account It is usually worth checking with your fund to see if a suitable preferred provider is available in your area
Fund dental and eyecare centres
In some states some funds operate their own dental and optical centres These are usually only located in capital cities or major population centres
Consumers who choose to use a fundrsquos own dental or optical centres will normally get services at a lower out of pocket cost
Additional information
The PHIO brochure lsquoHealth Insurance Choice Selecting a Health Insurance Policyrsquo includes important advice on what to consider and what questions to ask when selecting a general treatment policy The brochure is available at ombudsmangovau
The PHIOrsquos consumer website privatehealthgovau provides information about all private health insurance policies available in Australia including benefits prices and which hospitals a health fund has agreements with
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 26
Table 5A General treatment (extras)
Fund name (abbreviated)
general treatment (extras) charges coveredACT NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 444 470 505 505 537 486 471 485BUPA 463 501 491 535 549 582 514 578CBHS Corporate na 529 535 554 425 645 720 700CDH 359 386 413 372 488 397 396 naCUA Health 437 540 510 497 501 480 476 431GMHBA 518 550 505 545 548 515 504 513GU Corporate 718 747 753 725 729 762 694 788HBF 491 515 515 517 557 578 564 576HCF 470 475 551 572 606 554 487 505HCI 437 529 536 500 525 476 480 635Healthcomau 536 531 539 525 565 557 533 572Health Partners 338 383 446 413 576 420 464 492HIF 423 463 471 477 501 479 464 471Latrobe 276 413 361 358 390 384 357 434MDHF 471 555 556 510 527 524 502 496Medibank 473 521 536 554 589 580 545 597NIB 545 539 591 560 599 587 551 582Onemedifund 466 509 523 510 549 530 518 naPeoplecare 476 509 495 482 529 502 483 479Phoenix 506 529 538 549 556 521 461 519QCH 467 500 508 535 538 512 488 492St Lukes 560 621 604 588 672 587 591 524Transport Health 417 490 545 491 525 517 518 490Westfund 437 482 464 508 509 475 475 449Restricted membership fundsACA 528 611 615 610 652 588 589 656CBHS 451 497 517 525 549 509 499 438Defence Health 447 492 513 517 553 514 488 519Doctorsrsquo Health 545 537 555 564 565 550 546 591Emergency Services 754 665 702 696 677 706 524 634Navy Health 455 489 532 516 561 525 506 505Nurses and Midwives 570 533 546 484 598 598 491 352Police Health 662 659 683 688 712 698 675 696Reserve Bank 730 743 775 769 850 759 781 900RT Health Fund 424 515 489 505 505 497 455 498Teachers Health 422 501 504 501 529 515 495 478TUH 430 500 472 553 511 507 487 459
Note lsquonarsquo signifies no activity in that state 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only one episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201727
Table 5B General treatment (extras)
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Open membership funds
Australian Unity 462 645 627 464 406 480 461 988 405 346 693 152 444
BUPA 546 564 501 512 364 496 379 999 420 415 278 183 323
CBHS Corporate 533 500 536 608 495 554 521 na 639 na 367 na 428
CDH 399 501 500 440 451 356 278 1000 456 217 259 na 282
CUA Health 514 616 408 436 311 580 416 1000 476 358 546 348 414
GMHBA 521 573 472 500 395 491 456 889 472 443 893 247 428
GU Corporate 748 671 824 789 539 781 802 1000 778 786 556 170 873
HBF 607 575 440 457 504 493 492 999 492 427 774 295 472
HCF 568 566 430 428 369 411 326 1000 323 469 490 281 439
HCI 512 511 464 550 465 515 532 1000 538 326 581 406 398
Healthcomau 515 460 606 612 357 630 603 1000 591 530 na na 579
Health Partners 596 540 589 449 457 339 261 996 307 348 661 313 403
HIF 496 590 376 377 432 371 236 991 226 352 345 292 351
Latrobe 333 537 341 367 230 385 247 758 432 341 297 138 391
MDHF 623 556 441 478 228 470 401 819 344 252 700 173 340
Medibank 525 677 486 540 309 532 522 1000 448 372 669 253 370
NIB 562 538 588 576 416 568 543 1000 557 554 473 190 578
Onemedifund 552 521 542 469 359 474 393 980 395 460 765 234 409
Peoplecare 494 624 412 453 533 411 394 987 428 388 658 317 404
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
CO
MM
ON
WEALTH
OM
BUD
SMAN
STATE OF TH
E HEALTH
FUN
DS REPO
RT | 201728
Average amount of costs covered by service
Fund name (abbreviated) Den
tal [
1]
Opt
ical
[1]
Phys
ioth
erap
y
Chiro
prac
tic
Phar
mac
y
Podi
atry
Nat
ural
th
erap
ies
Am
bula
nce
Acup
unct
ure
Psyc
holo
gy
grou
p th
erap
y
Prev
enta
tive
heal
th
Hea
ring
aids
amp
aud
iolo
gy
Occ
upat
iona
l th
erap
y
Phoenix 576 617 513 497 401 535 355 977 412 424 488 420 437
QCH 531 588 480 617 351 657 398 na 454 476 421 376 407
St Lukes 643 678 513 543 420 491 423 782 450 504 524 450 484
Transport Health 553 593 471 560 352 538 426 1000 361 339 531 234 303
Westfund 528 490 397 560 380 408 402 999 372 364 537 381 564
Restricted membership funds
ACA 648 714 454 511 462 744 390 981 384 525 na 408 553
CBHS 508 531 534 615 427 459 449 969 469 424 362 352 357
Defence Health 500 524 527 552 469 527 403 1000 368 473 847 305 473
Doctorsrsquo Health 585 576 486 na 459 524 na na na 503 353 216 423
Emergency Services 712 530 771 761 443 666 406 na 800 694 na na na
Navy Health 479 576 549 610 469 527 467 993 na 418 1000 274 382
Nurses and Midwives 565 527 469 639 415 485 447 1000 388 489 637 429 579
Police Health 704 677 759 772 437 702 390 998 756 755 1000 339 706
Reserve Bank 764 737 721 743 608 785 784 1000 760 770 574 772 677
RT Health Fund 482 635 539 535 417 503 394 1000 556 232 467 351 344
Teachers Health 527 516 462 589 409 546 464 998 433 415 412 349 606
TUH 596 536 489 561 371 619 520 1000 456 432 512 414 385
[1] For some funds the data does not take account of discounts at some providers or fund Dental Optical centres Note All percentages based on health fund reporting to APRA na signifies no activity and 100 per cent is likely to indicate small numbers (eg only 1 episode)
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 29
FINANCES AND COSTSAll health funds are required to meet financial management standards to ensure their membersrsquo contributions are protected Generally funds aim to set premium levels so their income from contributions covers the expected cost of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
The percentage of contribution income which goes towards administration and management expenses is a key measure of fund efficiency
The regulation of health fund finances
The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) specifies solvency and capital adequacy standards for funds to meet and outlines financial management and reporting requirements for all funds
The Private Health Insurance (Prudential Regulation) Act 2015 (the Prudential Regulation Act) ensures that private health insurers must comply with prudential standards made by APRA and with directions given by APRA APRA has monitoring and investigative powers in relation to private health insurers in order to monitor the financial performance of the funds and ensure that they meet prudential requirements
APRA produces an annual publication providing financial and operational statistics for the funds for each financial year6 Information included in the Financial Performance table (Table 6) is drawn from data collected by APRA for that purpose
6 The lsquoOperations of the Private Health Insurersrsquo report is available on the APRA website apragovau
Premium increases
Under the Act health funds require the approval of the Minister for Health before they can raise their premiums
The Minister assesses premium applications to ensure proposed increases are kept to the minimum necessary This takes into consideration fund solvency requirements forecast benefit payments and prudential requirements while also ensuring the affordability and value of private health insurance as a product
Benefits as a percentage of contributions
This column shows the percentage of total contributions received by the fund returned to contributors in benefits Funds will generally aim to set premium levels so that contribution income covers the expected costs of benefits plus the fundrsquos administration costs
A very high percentage of contributions returned as benefits may not necessarily be a positive factor for consumers particularly if it means that the fund is making a loss on its health insurance business This indicator should therefore be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the Surplus (-loss) and Management Expenses ratings
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 30
Management expenses
Management expenses are the costs of administering the fund They include items such as rent staff salaries and marketing costs
As a percentage of contribution income
This figure is regarded as a key measure of fund efficiency In this table management expenses are shown as a proportion of total fund contributions
Per average policy
A comparison of the relative amount each fund spends on administration costs is also demonstrated through provision of information on the level of management expenses per membership by each fund
On average restricted membership funds have lower management expenses as a proportion of benefits paid then open membership funds This is partially due to lower expenditure on marketing However unusually low management expenses by some restricted membership funds can also be the result of those funds receiving free or subsidised administrative services from the organisations with which they are associated
Surplus (-loss) from health insurance
The surplus or loss (indicated as a negative figure) made by the fund in 2016ndash17 from their health insurance business is expressed as a percentage of the fundrsquos contribution income This does not take account of additional income that the fund may derive from investment or other non-health insurance activities
All health funds maintain a sufficient level of reserves to cover losses from year to year However funds with high or continuing losses might be expected to have to increase premiums by a higher relative amount than other funds
Overall profit (-loss) as a percentage of total revenue
The overall profit or loss (indicated as a negative figure) takes account of additional income made by the fund mainly through investment This is shown as a percentage of all revenue received by the fund to allow a comparison of performance between funds of differing sizes Overall profit takes into account tax that is paid for a small amount of funds
Not-for-profit fund
If a health fund is listed as lsquonot-for-profitrsquo this means it is a mutual organisation with the premiums paid into the fund used to operate the business and cover benefits for members
lsquoFor-profitrsquo funds aim to return a profit to their owners (which may be another health fund or corporation) or shareholders
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 31
Table 6 Finances and costs
Fund name (abbreviated)
Benefits as contributions
Management expenses Surplus (-loss) from
health insurance
Overall profit
(-loss) as total revenue
Not- for-
profit fund
as of contribution
incomePer average
policy Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 824 110 $372 67 57 NoBUPA 850 79 $283 72 61 NoCBHS Corporate na na na na na NoCDH 992 116 $471 -108 -86 YesCUA Health 852 96 $349 52 52 NoGMHBA 867 106 $347 27 42 YesGU Corporate 804 140 $804 56 54 NoHBF 914 103 $317 -17 35 YesHCF 880 85 $313 35 69 YesHCI 879 125 $472 -04 31 YesHealthcomau 901 62 $193 37 30 NoHealth Partners 917 93 $335 -10 52 YesHIF 937 119 $334 -56 -15 YesLatrobe 899 91 $329 09 36 YesMDHF 903 79 $232 19 57 YesMedibank 835 87 $299 77 71 NoNIB 840 96 $298 64 63 NoOnemedifund 772 79 $419 149 111 NoPeoplecare 885 98 $383 17 47 YesPhoenix 888 90 $397 22 42 YesQCH 885 104 $464 11 30 NoSt Lukes 897 122 $484 -19 16 YesTransport Health 859 133 $413 08 23 NoWestfund 832 131 $508 36 57 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 836 99 $506 65 88 YesCBHS 912 71 $294 18 53 YesDefence Health 972 63 $233 -34 06 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 829 100 $509 71 61 NoEmergency Services na na na na na YesNavy Health 926 94 $362 -20 44 YesNurses and Midwives na na na na na YesPolice Health 903 80 $431 17 48 YesReserve Bank 835 120 $722 45 65 YesRT Health Fund 843 144 $647 13 00 YesTeachers Health 872 69 $275 39 61 YesTUH 899 91 $423 09 48 Yes
Note lsquonarsquo indicates no data as insurer commenced operations during 2016ndash17
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 32
HEALTH FUND OPERATIONS BY STATE OR TERRITORYSome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Every fund will still have agreements with hospitals throughout Australia even if they donrsquot have a local branch network or a significant proportion of policy holders in each state Australian health insurance policies are usually priced according to the policy holderrsquos state of residence but the benefits extend nation-wide
Health fund operations by state or territorySome funds have little presence in most states but may have a large market share in one state or territory Some funds use different brand names or offer different policies in different states and territories These separate tables for each stateterritory are therefore provided to give an indication of the extent and importance of each fundrsquos business in each area Most fund websites allow members to view fund information join or change their policy and submit claims Links to all health fund websites are available at privatehealthgovau
Percentage market shareThis column indicates how much of the total health insurance business within each state or territory each fund accounts for It is an indicator of the size and significance of each fund within each state Funds with a significant market share in the relevant state or territory can normally be expected to have more extensive networks of branch offices agencies agreement hospitals and preferred ancillary providers in those statesterritories They are also more likely to obtain the participation of doctors in their gap cover arrangements However funds participating in schemes such as the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) will generally have access to a wide range of agreement hospitals in all states
Percentage of fundrsquos membership in stateThis column indicates how much of each fundrsquos health insurance membership is within each state It is an indicator of how significant that state is to each fundrsquos health insurance business
In general funds can be expected to design their policies (benefits conditions contracts etc) to suit the arrangements applying in the states in which they do a significant proportion of business However some nationally-based funds tailor their policies and prices to take account of different state arrangementsHealth fund costs differ from state to state which accounts for the variation in premiums across states
Agreement hospitals7
All health funds establish agreements with some or all private hospitals and day hospitals for the treatment of their members These agreements generally provide for the fund to meet all of the private hospitalrsquos charges for treatment of the fundrsquos members The member would then not be required to pay any amount to the hospital other than any agreed excess or co-payment and any incidental charges that may apply for certain extra services (eg television rental or internet)8
Where a fund has a comparatively low number of agreements with private hospitals or private day hospitals this is an indicator that consumer choice (as to where to be treated) may be more limited Treatment at a non-agreement hospital will mean a significantly higher out of pocket cost for the patientWhile funds do not have agreements with particular public hospitals all funds will fully cover hospital costs for treatment as a private patient in a public hospital unless the particular treatment is excluded under the individualrsquos policy or there is an extra charge for a private room or similar extra costs
Fund outletsmdashretail offices and agencies
Retail offices are full-service offices operated by health funds with staff employed by the fund
Agencies are generally limited service outlets operated by the fund or under arrangements with pharmacies credit unions etc
The table indicates whether the fund operates retail offices andor agencies in the state or territory
7 According to privatehealthgovau 8 January 2018 or as supplied by the fund
8 These agreements do not apply to fees charged by private doctors for in-hospital treatment these medical fees may be covered by a fundrsquos medical gap scheme arrangements
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 33
Table 7A New South Wales
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 17 189 98 88BUPA 258 315 87 74 YesCBHS Corporate 00 673 79 65CDH 01 899 75 53 YesCUA Health 05 258 101 91 YesGMHBA 10 153 99 90GU Corporate 06 490 98 90HBF 08 35 96 85HCF 196 620 83 86 YesHCI 00 104 100 100Healthcomau 06 358 85 74Health Partners 00 14 100 89HIF 03 124 99 91Latrobe 02 79 77 51MDHF 01 108 80 51 YesMedibank 230 282 88 74 Yes YesNIB 137 543 88 91 YesOnemedifund 01 409 100 89 YesPeoplecare 07 458 100 89 YesPhoenix 02 483 99 98 YesQCH 00 16 81 72St Lukes 00 36 79 48Transport Health 01 152 89 100Westfund 13 620 99 90 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 580 79 66 YesCBHS 20 449 79 65Defence Health 11 181 99 90 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 391 99 90 YesEmergency Services 00 189 99 92Navy Health 03 298 98 89Nurses and Midwives 00 591 100 89Police 00 16 99 92Reserve Bank 01 611 100 89 YesRT Health Fund 06 516 89 100 YesTeachers Health 48 696 100 89 YesTUH 01 37 100 89
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 34
Table 7B Victoria
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 77 608 78 75 YesBUPA 242 212 75 59 YesCBHS Corporate 00 142 73 50CDH 00 38 74 64CUA Health 04 175 78 77 Yes YesGMHBA 61 640 78 76 Yes YesGU Corporate 04 224 77 76HBF 13 37 77 71HCF 65 149 70 45 YesHCI 01 249 79 79Healthcomau 08 330 71 64Health Partners 01 34 78 75HIF 06 151 77 76Latrobe 25 880 76 62 Yes YesMDHF 08 848 76 63 Yes YesMedibank 330 289 68 53 YesNIB 74 209 71 68 YesOnemedifund 01 249 78 75Peoplecare 07 323 78 75 YesPhoenix 01 192 78 82QCH 00 09 74 58St Lukes 01 55 75 62Transport Health 04 672 75 78Westfund 00 09 78 76Restricted membership fundsACA 00 129 73 50CBHS 15 247 73 50Defence Health 25 301 78 76 Yes YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 301 78 76Emergency Services 00 223 76 77Navy Health 04 275 78 75 YesNurses and Midwives 00 280 78 74Police 00 24 77 77Reserve Bank 00 231 78 75RT Health Fund 02 104 75 78Teachers Health 14 146 78 74 YesTUH 01 29 78 75
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 35
Table 7C Queensland
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 21 124 53 48BUPA 330 216 50 33 YesCBHS Corporate 00 71 46 34CDH 00 43 51 30CUA Health 18 519 53 48 Yes YesGMHBA 15 114 54 47GU Corporate 03 113 51 45HBF 08 17 52 45HCF 67 115 50 37 YesHCI 00 93 58 52Healthcomau 06 192 44 38Health Partners 01 16 53 48HIF 05 96 53 44Latrobe 01 21 48 31MDHF 00 15 47 31Medibank 325 213 52 39 YesNIB 61 129 46 42 YesOnemedifund 01 126 53 48Peoplecare 04 120 53 48Phoenix 01 144 55 51QCH 20 959 52 47 Yes YesSt Lukes 01 28 48 31Transport Health 01 127 48 53Westfund 13 351 54 47 YesRestricted membership fundsACA 01 190 46 36CBHS 13 155 46 34Defence Health 33 293 52 45 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 216 53 47Emergency Services 00 303 51 46Navy Health 03 185 53 45Nurses and Midwives 00 37 48 53Police 06 350 51 46Reserve Bank 00 63 53 48RT Health Fund 07 342 48 53 YesTeachers Health 04 31 48 53TUH 30 923 53 48 Yes
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 36
Table 7D South Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 15 38 25 25BUPA 504 144 26 22 YesCBHS Corporate 00 33 27 19CDH 00 09 22 15CUA Health 01 12 26 25GMHBA 04 15 26 25GU Corporate 01 18 26 24HBF 05 05 24 23HCF 61 46 25 17 YesHCI 00 23 27 28Healthcomau 02 27 27 23Health Partners 75 926 25 25 Yes YesHIF 03 25 26 26Latrobe 00 06 22 14MDHF 01 22 22 14Medibank 219 63 26 20 Yes YesNIB 33 30 23 22Onemedifund 01 51 25 25Peoplecare 03 50 25 25Phoenix 02 132 27 28QCH 00 03 27 21St Lukes 01 16 22 14Transport Health 00 17 25 25Westfund 00 05 26 25Restricted membership fundsACA 00 33 27 21CBHS 09 47 27 19Defence Health 21 83 27 26 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 32 26 25Emergency Services 00 137 26 25Navy Health 02 55 26 24Nurses and Midwives 00 27 25 24Police 15 361 26 25 YesReserve Bank 00 37 25 25RT Health Fund 01 13 25 25Teachers Health 18 62 25 24TUH 00 02 25 25
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 37
Table 7E Western Australia
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 23 20 22BUPA 114 56 19 15 YesCBHS Corporate 00 43 16 11CDH 00 03 18 15CUA Health 01 21 21 24 YesGMHBA 09 56 20 24GU Corporate 04 133 20 24HBF 543 900 23 21 Yes YesHCF 27 34 18 11 YesHCI 00 13 21 26Healthcomau 02 56 18 18Health Partners 00 04 22 23HIF 39 588 21 23 Yes YesLatrobe 00 04 18 14MDHF 00 03 18 14Medibank 199 98 20 18 Yes YesNIB 27 43 19 20Onemedifund 01 112 22 23Peoplecare 01 27 22 23Phoenix 00 32 21 25QCH 00 06 17 15St Lukes 00 06 17 14Transport Health 00 17 23 22Westfund 00 05 20 24Restricted membership fundsACA 00 45 16 11CBHS 08 71 16 11Defence Health 06 43 20 24 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 00 21 20 24Emergency Services 00 57 20 24Navy Health 02 74 20 24Nurses and Midwives 00 13 22 23Police 03 140 20 24Reserve Bank 00 34 22 23RT Health Fund 00 12 23 22Teachers Health 05 29 22 23TUH 00 02 22 23
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 38
Table 7F Tasmania
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 10 07 5 3BUPA 360 27 8 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 09 8 2CDH 00 03 6 7CUA Health 01 03 8 3GMHBA 11 10 8 3GU Corporate 01 05 8 3HBF 08 02 8 3HCF 30 06 5 3HCI 23 510 8 5 YesHealthcomau 02 07 8 3Health Partners 01 02 5 3HIF 02 06 8 4Latrobe 02 05 8 6MDHF 00 01 8 6Medibank 288 22 5 3 YesNIB 23 06 5 2Onemedifund 02 51 5 3Peoplecare 02 07 5 3Phoenix 00 06 8 5QCH 00 02 8 3St Lukes 189 857 8 6 Yes YesTransport Health 00 05 3 5Westfund 01 02 8 3Restricted membership fundsACA 00 14 8 2CBHS 11 16 8 2Defence Health 11 11 8 3Doctorsrsquo Health 01 09 8 3Emergency Services 00 17 8 4Navy Health 02 14 8 3Nurses and Midwives 00 34 5 3Police 05 30 8 4Reserve Bank 00 11 5 3RT Health Fund 01 04 3 5Teachers Health 12 11 5 3TUH 01 03 5 3
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 39
Table 7G Australian Capital Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 16 11 6 7BUPA 224 17 5 4 YesCBHS Corporate 00 24 5 4CDH 00 04 5 6CUA Health 03 10 6 7 YesGMHBA 12 11 6 7GU Corporate 03 15 6 7HBF 09 02 6 7HCF 142 28 5 6 YesHCI 00 08 6 8Healthcomau 07 24 6 6Health Partners 01 03 6 7HIF 03 08 6 7Latrobe 01 04 5 6MDHF 00 01 5 6Medibank 290 22 5 4 YesNIB 153 37 6 7 YesOnemedifund 00 02 6 7Peoplecare 03 13 6 7Phoenix 01 08 6 7QCH 00 02 6 7St Lukes 00 02 5 6Transport Health 01 09 7 6Westfund 02 07 6 7Restricted membership fundsACA 00 08 5 4CBHS 10 14 5 4Defence Health 72 73 6 7 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 03 26 6 7Emergency Services 00 23 6 7Navy Health 13 89 6 7Nurses and Midwives 00 13 5 7Police 01 04 6 7Reserve Bank 00 12 6 7RT Health Fund 01 06 7 6Teachers Health 24 22 5 7TUH 01 03 7 6
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 40
Table 7H Northern Territory
Fund name (abbreviated)
fund market
share this state
fundrsquos membership in this state
Agreement hospitals [1] Fund outlets Private
hospitalsPrivate day
hospitalsRetail offices Agencies
Open membership fundsAustralian Unity 05 01 2 1BUPA 386 11 1 1 YesCBHS Corporate 00 05 1 0CDH 00 00 1 1CUA Health 01 01 2 1GMHBA 04 01 2 1GU Corporate 01 02 2 1HBF 20 02 2 1HCF 50 04 1 1HCI 00 01 2 1Healthcomau 05 07 1 1Health Partners 01 01 2 1HIF 02 02 2 1Latrobe 01 01 1 1MDHF 00 01 1 1Medibank 407 12 1 1 YesNIB 26 02 1 1Onemedifund 00 00 2 1Peoplecare 01 02 2 1Phoenix 00 01 2 1QCH 02 04 1 1St Lukes 00 01 1 1Transport Health 00 01 1 2Westfund 01 01 2 1Restricted membership fundsACA 00 01 1 0CBHS 04 02 1 0Defence Health 37 15 2 1 YesDoctorsrsquo Health 01 04 2 1Emergency Services 00 51 2 1Navy Health 04 11 2 1Nurses and Midwives 00 05 2 1Police 30 74 2 1Reserve Bank 00 00 2 1RT Health Fund 01 02 1 2Teachers Health 08 03 2 1TUH 01 01 2 1
[1] Agreement hospitals data is sourced from privatehealthgovau as of 8 January 2018
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 41
ABOUT THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE OMBUDSMANThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman protects the interests of people who are covered by private health insurance through our complaints-handling consumer information and advice services as well as advice to government and industry about issues of concern to consumers in relation to private health insurance
The Private Health Insurance OmbudsmanThe Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) is one of the roles held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman The Ombudsman deals with enquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance Our Office is independent of the private health funds private and public hospitals and health service providers
We deal with complaints about private health insurance including private health funds brokers hospitals medical practitioners dentists or other practitioners Generally anyone can make a complaint as long as it relates to private health insurance
How do I make a complaintYou should first contact your health fund or the organisation or provider yoursquore complaining aboutmdashthey may be able to resolve your complaint for you
If your fund doesnrsquot provide a satisfactory response you can contact us in one of the following ways
Website ombudsmangovau (including online complaints form)
Call 1300 362 072 (option 4 for private health insurance)
Write Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email phioinfoombudsmangovau
Please include
bull a clear description of your complaint bull the name of your health fund and your
membership number and bull what you think would resolve the matter for you
Wersquoll let you know if any other information is needed
What happens after I make a complaintMany complaints result from misunderstandings Your PHIO case officer may be able to resolve your complaint by explaining what has happened and why
Otherwise wersquoll contact your health fund or the body you are complaining about to get their explanation and any suggestions they have for fixing the problem We deal with most complaints by phone email and fax and most can be settled quickly
Where complaints are more complex we will write to the health fund or other body seeking further information or recommending a certain course of action Your case officer will keep you regularly informed usually by telephone They will give you their name and contact number in case you need to contact them
What if I just want some information about health insuranceWe can help with information about private health insurance arrangements
bull visit our website privatehealthgovau
bull call our Hotline on 1300 737 299 or
bull email us at phioinfoombudsmangovau
We also have brochures and publications about private health insurance arrangements which you can find on our website or which we can post on request
Who can I contact if my complaint is about a medical issueComplaints about the quality of service or clinical treatment provided by a health professional or a hospital should be directed to the health care complaints body for your state or territory These are listed in the state government section of your telephone directory You can also find a contact list on privatehealthgovau under links
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN STATE OF THE HEALTH FUNDS REPORT | 2017 42
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE CHECKLISTTen tips from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for avoiding health insurance problems
Consider taking out the highest level of hospital cover you can afford and choosing a higher excess rather than restrictions or exclusions to save money on premiums Review your Standard Information Statement (SIS)
every year Think about whether your policy will continue to meet your needs over the coming year This is particularly important if you are thinking about starting a family or your health needs are changing as you grow older
Read all of the information your fund sends you carefully Important information about your cover will be sent in a personalised letter and should not be ignored
Ensure your premiums are up to date If you pay by direct debit check your bank or credit card statements every month to ensure payments are being correctly deducted
Tell your fund if you change address add a partner have a child or any other circumstance which might affect your cover
Make sure you understand any waiting periods restrictions or limits applying to your cover
Contact your fund before you go to hospital to check whether you will be covered and what costs you may need to pay yourself
Talk to your doctors about their fees and ask whether they will bill you under your health fundrsquos gap scheme
If you decide to change funds make sure you understand the difference in benefits before changing
Visit privatehealthgovau for information and advice about private health insurance
More information can be found in the lsquoHealth Insurance Choicersquo and lsquoTen Golden Rulesrsquo brochures available at privatehealthgovau and ombudsmangovau