Calvary today warned that Medibank\u2019s actions in terminating Calvary\u2019s contract discussions will restrict hospital access for patients, as well as the clinical autonomy of their doctors, through Medibank\u2019s so called \u2018safety and quality\u2019 regime. Contrary to Medibank\u2019s claims, their actions are to the detriment of the most vulnerable people in our community- the aged, chronically ill and people at the end of their lives.<\/p>\n
Medibank is also misleading its members when stating \u201cMedibank will always pay hospitals for our members\u2019 hospital treatment costs,\u201d Calvary National CEO, Mr Mark Doran, said today.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet us be clear, Medibank is reducing its payments for members while in a Calvary hospital, leaving its members to pay the difference,\u201d said Mr Doran.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis could be somewhere between 15% and 25% of their members\u2019 costs whilst in hospital,\u201d he said. \u201cIs Medibank prepared to reduce its member\u2019s premiums by the same amount?\u201d<\/p>\n
Calvary today hit back at Medibank\u2019s assertions that the leading health, community and aged care provider is not concerned about the quality and care of its patients and that its dispute with the insurance company is about wanting more.<\/p>\n
Calvary revealed that a review by Dr Michael Smith, former Medical Director of Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC), found that Medibank\u2019s approach to using a list of 165 \u2018Highly Preventable Adverse Events\u2019 is flawed. \u201cThe title \u201cHighly Preventable Adverse Events\u2019, chosen by Medibank, is a misrepresentation in itself\u201d, Mr Doran said.<\/p>\n
The ACSQHC also confirmed the list is not fit for use in health care funding models.<\/p>\n
Calvary supports the view of Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Professor Brian Owler, that a doctor should decide what a patient needs, not an insurance company like Medibank.<\/p>\n
\u201cMedibank is simply making good on a promise to \u2018flex its muscle\u2019,\u201d Mr Doran warned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not an approach that gives us confidence that Medibank will fund appropriate care for its members now or in the future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ultimate beneficiary of any reduced payments to hospitals is Medibank and its shareholders, the ultimate losers are Medibank members\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs quality and safety really what Medibank is seeking, or is it simply a cost shift to hospitals using a new metric on price, terms and conditions, including making hospitals wait longer to be paid for services already delivered?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Calvary today warned that Medibank\u2019s actions in terminating Calvary\u2019s contract discussions will restrict hospital access for patients, as well as the clinical autonomy of their doctors, through Medibank\u2019s so called \u2018safety and quality\u2019 regime. Contrary to Medibank\u2019s claims, their actions are to the detriment of the most vulnerable people in our community- the aged, chronically ill and people at the end of their lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n