Rising medical insurance payouts vs premiums is unsustainable
The health insurance industry is warning the growth in the rate of its claim costs compared to premiums is unsustainable.
Publishing the industry’s quarterly statistics today, the Health Funds Association identified rising health costs as its key challenge.
Executive director Roger Styles said claim costs had grown at double the rate of premiums during the past two years, which was not sustainable.
Premium income for the year to the end of September of $859 million, was up 5 percent or $41m on a year earlier. Claims paid were up 9.9 percent or $67m to $743m.
The two main reasons behind recent cost pressures were that more people were claiming on their health insurance, and the average value of each claim was rising, Mr Styles said.
In the past year additional services became available, such as private radiotherapy in Auckland, which was not previously an option for people with health insurance.
Cost-shifting was continuing from the public sector, with a rise in the number of claims for surgery knocked back by ACC, he said.
Also from this month, ACC would require co-payments from patients for physiotherapy, which would have an impact on insurers who covered top-ups for ACC in their policies.
Contact Thorners if you require any Health Insurance cover as they have access to several providers and understand the market.
Click here to email Thorners or Call Us on (04) 528 8088
Click here to view our disclosure statement.
Click here to email Thorners or Call Us on (04) 528 8088
32% of Kiwis have Health Insurance – June 2009
The number of people with health insurance policies rose slightly in the June 2009 quarter, the Health Funds Association of New Zealand says.
The health insurance market grew by 700, or less than 0.1 percent, in the latest quarter, after dipping 0.2 percent in the March quarter.
For the year to June the number of people with health insurance rose 4500, or 0.3 percent. The total was 1.39 million or 32.3 percent of New Zealanders.
A trend away from comprehensive health insurance towards elective surgical and specialist cover continued, the association said.
Elective surgical and specialist cover now accounted for 910,700, or 65.3 percent, of those covered by health insurance.
Health insurance earned premiums rose 5 percent in the June year, from the previous year, to $846m.
The $725m in health insurance claims paid in the year was up $69m, or 10.5 percent, on the year before. In the June quarter $194m in claims were paid.
The rise in claims paid was due to increases in the number of claims and in the costs of treatment.
You can quote and apply online for health insurance from our website or contact us for more information now. We service clients NZ wide and offer personal appointments from Wellington through to Napier.
Click here to email Thorners or Call Us on (04) 528 8088
Click here to view our disclosure statement.
Click here to view our disclosure statement.
Click here to email Thorners or Call Us on (04) 528 8088
