Private health insurance committee to tackle reform

Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley

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By Rhiannon Riches
Assistant Editor

Dr Jeffrey Harmer has been selected to chair a new Private Health Ministerial Advisory Committee.

The committee will be responsible for advising on the implementation of the Turnbull Government’s reforms to private health insurance. This includes developing easy to understand categories of health insurance so consumers know what their policies will and will not cover, and addressing regulatory issues that are adding to the cost of premiums.

Minister for Health Sussan Ley has said that reforms are expected to increase competition in the private health insurance sector.

She said the majority of the 40,000 consumers who responded to a private health insurance survey last year said the current system was frustrating and didn’t offer good value for money.

Ms Ley said Dr Harmer would be joined by appointees from various organisations, including the Allied Health Professionals Australia, of which Optometry Australia is a member organisation.

Dr Harmer served as managing director of the Health Insurance Commission, which later became Medicare Australia. He was involved in the age pension and disability support pension review in 2008-2009, and was part of Australia’s Future Tax System review panel.