Reform announcement 'imminent'

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Health minister Greg Hunt says an announcement on reforms to private health insurance and the pricing of prostheses is imminent.

Earlier this week, Mr Hunt told a group of stakeholders in Melbourne he will be signing an agreement with medical device companies, through their association, the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), that will deliver "hundreds of millions of dollars" from prostheses.

He said the reforms to the private health insurance sector will include a significant focus on mental health.

The pricing of prosthese has generated significant controversy between medical device companies and private insurers.

Insurers have called for urgent action in advance of next April's annual premium increase while the MTAA, while accepting the inevitability of price reform, has cautioned against cuts that negatively impact the sector and patients.