Medibank says its recently launched partnership with Healthe Care is delivering its members significant savings on out-of-pocket hospital costs.
The partnership, established in mid-2022, has seen around 1,000 patients go through its ‘No Gap’ program at 12 Healthe Care hospitals across New South Wales and Victoria.
The program means Medibank customers are not charged any out-of-pocket costs for any doctors’ services in the hospital for knee or hip replacements and endoscopies.
Medibank group executive Milosh Milisavljevic said, “At Medibank, we aim to make health care affordable for our customers. With current cost of living pressures, we know every dollar counts, which is why this program is proving to be so popular. For example, our customers are saving on average $1,500 by not paying out-of-pocket fees for joint surgery.
“Our customers also don’t have to worry about long surgery waitlists, as they do in the public sector, with almost one third of patients waiting more than 12 months for a joint replacement; they can get their surgery done soon after meeting with their surgeon.”
Healthe Care CEO Matt Hanrahan said the program highlights the importance of close working relationships, coming together to support patient needs.
“Healthe Care prides itself on the strong relationships we have with our doctors, health funds and local communities,” he said.
“The Medibank No Gap Joint Replacement program provides a fantastic example of how we are working together in supporting patients to access the surgery they need, in high quality Healthe Care private hospitals across New South Wales and Victoria.
“The No Gap program ensures doctors can make the best possible clinical decisions for their patients, helping them get back on their feet and return to the things they love sooner.”
Participating Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Razvan Stoita, said the program benefits both patients and surgeons.
“It allows the patient to focus on their recovery after surgery, with rehabilitation done in the comfort of their homes, without having to worry about incurring any additional expenses,” said Dr Stoita.
“The program allows the surgeons to channel all their attention and skill into providing the best care to patients, knowing that they have the full support provided by Medibank.”