Senate Inquiry Report into Private Health Insurance - A win for dental patients and practitioners

The Australian Dental Association congratulates the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for recommending much-needed legislative and policy change to help put an end to the unfair and anticompetitive practices of private health insurers in the dental services market and dental insurance space.

“The Senate Committee’s report into the value and affordability of private health insurance and out-of-pocket costs, released today, represents a major win for dentists and consumers”, said ADA Federal President, Dr Hugo Sachs.

“Along with the ADA, and organisations representing specialist dentists, over 160 dentists made submissions to the Inquiry, expressing concerns about the impact of private health fund practices on dental patients, and dental health care provision.”

“We applaud the Committee for addressing many of the ADA’s concerns and making recommendations to ensure greater transparency, genuine choice of provider and equitable rebates for dental consumers, and a fairer, more level competitive playing field for dental health care providers”, he added.

“In particular, the ADA applauds the Committee’s recommendation that the Private Health Insurance Act be amended to prohibit private health funds from paying lower rebates to policy holders whose preferred healthcare provider is not in a contract arrangement with their health fund”.

Find out more

Read the overview and media release on the ADA website 

View Senate Inquiry Report on the Parliament of Australia website 

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