The Medical Technology Association of Australia has today published its key policy priorities for the medical technology industry.
MTAA said its ‘Strengthening Australia’s Healthcare System’ policy paper outlines a series of recommendations that would improve patient outcomes and provide greater opportunities for Australia’s medical technology (MedTech) industry.
CEO Ian Burgess said the policy priorities have already been shared with the new 'Parliamentary Friends of MedTech group. He said the industry looks forward to the group playing an active role in raising awareness of the issues facing MedTech and of its real-world life-saving benefits.
<p">“MTAA is very keen to continue to engage with the members of the newly formed Parliamentary Friends of MedTech into the next parliament, and we cannot wait to showcase the amazing benefits of MedTech for everyday Australians and also solve the challenges facing greater access to these technologies with this group and its members,” said Mr Burgess.
MTAA said its policy priorities document also sets out a ‘7 Point Plan’ to reverse the trend of rising private health insurance premiums and address the challenge of declining value against a backdrop of the rising cost of living.
“For many Australian families, skyrocketing private health insurance fees are a key driver in the rising cost of living. This has created a real challenge in Australia’s private health sector. While the four-year Agreement signed between the Commonwealth and MTAA will provide significant savings to private health insurers through cuts to medical device prices, real systemic reforms are needed to stop private health insurance from contributing to the rising cost of living,” said Mr Burgess.
MTAA said it is calling on the next federal government to adopt a range of private health insurance reforms, including the forced full return of the deferred claims liability accrued during the pandemic, a requirement to return 90 per cent of premiums as benefits, the creation of a new regulator, a stricter approach to premium increases, the removal of rebates for unproven treatments, the standardisation of rebates for services across insurers and an inquiry into reducing management expenses.
“These reforms address the drivers of ongoing premium increases, supports the sustainability of Australia’s private health sector, and will stop private health insurance from driving Australia’s cost of living crisis. They will break the cycle of ongoing above-inflation premium increases and ensure the affordability of private health insurance for all Australians,” added Mr Burgess.