Mater, Bupa ink three-year deal giving private patients certainty on costs

Mater hospitals in Queensland and health insurer Bupa have announced a new hospital deal, giving certainty of access and cost of care for thousands of private health members.

Mater and Bupa have announced a new hospital partnership, giving certainty of access and cost of care for thousands of Queensland private health insurance members.

The deal included a future program offering much better care for heart patients in the state’s far north.

It came a month after revelations of a war between private hospital operator Healthscope and insurers, including Bupa, which threatened to delay surgeries at five top Queensland hospitals and leave patients thousands out of pocket.

Healthscope has threatened to cut ties with Bupa and health insurance funds offered under the Australian Health Services Alliance from February.

The new three-year Bupa/Mater deal was negotiated against a background of rising costs facing private hospitals and meant patients would have certainty on out-of-pocket costs before they went into surgery.

It was not expected to lead to a surge in people opting to be treated at the Mater, however, with industry observers hopeful of a breakthrough with Healthscope before the February deadline.

The Mater has renewed a deal with Bupa, providing certainty of access and costs ot private health members. Picture: J&A Photography

Mater and Bupa said the three-year deal would keep private health insurance affordable, support the viability of the private hospital sector and take pressure off the public system.

In good news for people in the Townsville area, they also agreed to work on delivering a virtual cardiac rehabilitation program for Bupa patients at Mater Private Hospital Townsville.

The agreement would also include a short-stay joint program at the hospital.

Research showed that, without appropriate cardiac rehabilitation, one in four heart attack survivors never returned to work. One in two were unable to resume their previous hours.

“The agreement ensures Bupa customers will continue to benefit from Mater’s exceptional hospital care and will also allow us to develop innovative new services for regional patients,”

Mater Health executive director Chris Went said.

Bupa acting managing director Kate Williams said the partnership provided customers with “peace of mind’’ knowing they would be covered at Mater hospitals.

“We know our customers want certainty, affordable care and better health outcomes,’’ she said.

Bupa also recently signed a new agreement with St Vincent’s and a new graduate nurse program deal with Ramsay Health Care.