MEDICAL CARE – AUSTRALIA

Single medical bills one step too far as doctors stand their ground

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Original article by Sean Parnell
The Australian – Page: Online : 3-Jan-18

Sussan Ley, who was federal health minister at the time, made an election commitment in 2016 that patients would receive a single medical bill covering all procedures and expenses. However, Michael Gannon, the president of the Australian Medical Association, says that is something his members would never agree to, saying it would place too much power in the hands of the person who would be charged with putting it together. The issue comes at a time of calls for greater transparency of medical fees and expenses.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Labor push for 49.5pc top tax hit

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-May-17

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has used his Budget reply speech to outline measures to provide funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. He advocated retention of the two per cent temporary deficit levy for high-income earners and increasing the Medicare levy by 0.5 per cent for people on incomes of more than $A87,000. This would increase the highest marginal tax rate to 49.5 per cent. Shorten also said the Opposition supports a proposed bank levy, although he stressed that the cost should not be passed on to customers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD

Less popular surgery could hurt

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 4-Feb-16

Figures from Medicare indicate a decline in the growth rate of certain medical procedures. The number of surgical, obstetric and diagnostic procedures increased by 2.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with the four-year average growth rate of 5.1 per cent. This trend may affect investors’ confidence in Ramsay Health Care and Healthscope.

CORPORATES
RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, UNITING CARE, MACQUARIE SECURITIES PTY LTD, ST JOHN OF GOD HEALTH CARE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA

Symptoms mask flu trend

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Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 27-Jul-15

Australian pathology laboratories reported some 9,594 cases of flu during the June 2015 quarter, compared with just 4,591 in the previous corresponding period. Influenza Specialist Group chairman Alan Hampson says anecdotal evidence suggests that Australians have contracted flu earlier than usual in 2015. In contrast, Primary Health Care recently attributed lower patient numbers during the quarter to factors such as a less severe cold and flu season.

CORPORATES
INFLUENZA SPECIALIST GROUP, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, SONIC HEALTHCARE LIMITED – ASX SHL

Fight builds over $3b GST compo

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Jul-15

The New South Wales Government has proposed lifting the GST rate to 15 per cent, with the extra revenue to be used to finance public health services. Its modelling suggests that annual GST revenue would increase by $A36bn by 2020 with the higher tax rate. Meanwhile, the cost of public health funding is expected to top $A20bn by 2020. When the need to compensate households for the increased GST is taken into account, it is estimated that a further $A2bn to $A3bn in health funding would be needed in addition to the extra GST revenue.

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND. TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Primary Health scare on profit slump

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Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 17-Jul-15

Shares in Primary Health Care fell by $A0.42 to $A4.77 on 16 July 2015, after the group advised that its 2014-15 EBITDA will around $A400m, which is similar to the previous year. Primary had previously forecast that its EBITDA would be within the range of $A410m to $A425m. Primary has also indicated that it now expects a tax refund of about $A50m, compared with earlier expectations of $A130m.

CORPORATES
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Primary’s new centre could be first of many

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 9-Jul-15

Australian-listed Primary Health Care hopes to establish more medical imaging centres, following the upcoming launch of its new facility in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. CEO Peter Gregg says the group expects to recoup its $A35m investment in the facility within two years. He adds that Primary could potentially finance the new imaging centres via asset sales or sale-and-leaseback arrangements.

CORPORATES
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, VISION EYE INSTITUTE LIMITED – ASX VEI, HCN, EPWORTH HOSPITAL, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, PULSE HEALTH LIMITED – ASX PHG

Feeling ill? Take photos and call Dr Snapchat

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Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 3-Jul-15

Telstra has launched a telemedicine service called ReadyCare in partnership with Switzerland-based Medgate. Consumers with health issues will be able to consult a GP via video link or mobile phone for a $A76 fee. ReadyCare is aimed at treating people with infectious diseases in their own home rather than having them visit a GP.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, MEDGATE AG, TELSTRA READYCARE

Medibank flexes muscles, axes Calvary

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 2-Jul-15

Negotiations between Australian-listed Medibank Private and Calvary Health Care have failed, prompting Medibank to end its contract with the private hospital group. Medibank and ahm members who use Calvary’s hospitals from 1 September 2015 may incur out-of-pocket expenses as a result, although Medibank will continue to pay some of its customers’ costs. Calvary has indicated that it is keen to resume discussions with Medibank.

CORPORATES
MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, AHM HEALTH INSURANCE, CALVARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Upfront payments for doctors

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Original article by Joanna Heath
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 3-Mar-15

The Australian Government is considering major changes to the Medicare system, and has widespread support among GPs for the proposed reforms. The key change under consideration is a shift to a system whereby GPs are paid an annual lump sum in advance to treat patients such as the chronically ill. This would allow the Government to abandon its controversial co-payment scheme. However, the Medicare rebate will remain at its current level until 2018

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS, McKINSEY AND COMPANY