HCF has announced two new five-year agreements with private healthcare providers HealtheCare and Adventist HealthCare Limited (AHCL) and an expansion of the services and benefits provided by existing partner Ramsay Health Care.
HCF said the agreements would ensure continued access for its members to 17 facilities in regional NSW, Sydney and Tasmania, including around 1,200 hospital beds and 70 operating theatres.
It said the new long-term agreement with the Sydney Adventist Hospital, which AHCL operates, extends the existing strategic partnership.
HCF members will receive a five per cent discount on select purchases at all Ramsay and Malouf pharmacies when signing up for the Ramsay Pharmacy Better Rewards program.
HCF CEO and managing director, Sheena Jack, said the partnerships with all three service providers would deliver long-term benefits to its members while strengthening the sustainability of the private healthcare system in general.
“This is a big boost for our 1.8 million members and highlights our commitment to ensuring we provide them with access to the best services available by extending partnerships with private health care providers such as Sydney Adventist Hospital and HealtheCare hospitals,” said Ms Jack.
“By continuing access to these high-end facilities while adding a number of new services available to members at home during their treatment or while in recovery through Ramsay Health Care is an exciting prospect.”
AHCL CEO Brett Goods said he was very pleased to have collaborated with HCF to continue the strategic partnership for another five years. He said it will provide significant benefits for HCF members and AHCL patients.
“Our strategic partnership has already achieved significant success and demonstrates our willingness to innovate. We’re looking forward to working with HCF to provide affordable access to excellent private health care for our patients. Our five-year agreement acknowledges the increased costs hospitals are facing and commits to explore further initiatives that will help to achieve affordability, better care and great outcomes for patients,” said Mr Goods.
HealtheCare chair, Ben Thynne, said the company was proud to have strong relationships with its doctors, staff, suppliers and local communities.
“By working closely with funders like HCF over time we’re able to secure sustainable agreements as the industry tackles the many challenges that lie ahead, such as workforce shortages, and reforms to the private health sector in areas such as prostheses,” he said.
“The private health sector offers a highly valued choice for consumers and close partnerships with funders like HCF provides us with the opportunity to create more value for patients through new models of care, initiatives like gap-free orthopaedic surgery and more seamless transition to services like rehabilitation in the home."
Ramsay Pharmacy CEO, Greg Kennedy, said the company was, “Committed to making quality health care more accessible and affordable for Australians and the new pharmacy discount program offers an opportunity for HCF members to access exclusive promotions and events, free samples and earn points towards cash rewards.”
“Creating these long-term partnerships provides benefits for all parties. Together we can focus on affordability and innovating new and exciting services for our members,” added Ms Jack.