Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 20-Feb-18

Health insurance industry leaders forecast further consolidation in the sector after HCF and HBF revealed plans to merge. They are currently Australia’s two largest not-for-profit health funds, and the merged entity would boast $A4bn worth of assets, about 2.5 million members and a market share of around 18.4 per cent. HBF CEO John Van Der Wielen says the merged group would have a greater chance of ensuring that premium increases are kept in line with the inflation rate. He adds that both funds have had the industry’s lowest premium increases in 2018.

CORPORATES
THE HOSPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS FUND OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, HBF HEALTH LIMITED, BUPA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, NIB HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NHF, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY