ACCC releases report to the Senate on Private Health Insurance

Dear ANTA member

The ACCC has released its annual report to on anti-competitive and other practices by health funds and providers of private health insurance. The report to the Australian Senate covers the period from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014. See the ACCC’s media release or the ACCC website for a copy of the report.

The report’s focus is on information that is provided to consumers. It explores the transparency, accuracy and consistency of information and the impact it has on consumer decision-making. The ACCC’s stakeholder consultation highlighted increased concern about the complexity of policies and consumers’ ability to make informed decisions about what best suits their needs. The report also reveals the increasing challenges facing consumers in choosing between a large number of policies with greater exclusions.