Where are the future challenges for private health care over the next few years?
Given Australia’s ageing population and factors such as increased obesity in the young, we must recognise the value of prevention measures if we are to achieve better outcomes, especially in the long term. In this year’s budget, I have specifically brought prevention into focus as an important pillar of Medicare. The Government is offering incentives to doctors to encourage more preventive measures for patients to improve health outcomes and reduce hospital admissions. And as I have said before Health funds need to contribute, and benefit, by offering more comprehensive health promotion and disease management programs. Health service providers and institutions must continue to develop, and be rewarded for, service delivery which sees continuum of care as the norm not ‘silo’ care. Encouraging people to manage their health is more cost effective than waiting until they have a chronic disease. Ancillary benefits too, which have a strong preventative focus, should continue to be supported.
