HFANZ’s recent media release discusses how health insurers welcome the measuring of specialist referrals following a recent report by the Ministry of Health which measures the outcome of GP referrals to public hospitals.
Acting chief executive of HFANZ Chris Pentecost said that the industry was pleased the Government was recognising there was an issue of unmet need surrounding patient flow from GPs to public hospital-based specialists.
“Last year health insurers funded over 200,000 elective surgical procedures for those with health insurance, at a cost of some $800 million. We believe a similar number were excluded from consideration in the public system because their condition was not perceived to be so significant for them to be immediately placed on a waiting list,” Mr Pentecost said.