Letter from Bundaberg Hospital shows public hospitals bill patients after they are discharged

A letter obtained by News Corp Australia sent to patients from Bundaberg Hospital shows private insurers are being billed even after patients have been discharged. SEE THE LETTER

Exclusive: Public hospitals are writing to patients after they have been discharged to ask them to bill their health fund for their care in a move that is driving up health fund premiums.

It is proof that people are being asked to charge their health insurer even when they derive no benefit whatsoever in the form of doctor of choice or a private room from using their health cover.

News Corp Australia has obtained a letter sent to patients from Bundaberg Hospital in Queensland where it asks a patient to retrospectively “elect to have your admission classified as private”.

The hospital offers to cover any excess or co-payments the patient might face but it does not guarantee there will be no out of pocket bills for surgeons or tests.

“This is at no cost to you but a great benefit to the hospital,” the letter says.

“The additional funding we receive when patients elect private admission helps the hospital to maintain facilities, pay for new equipment, fund additional doctors/nurses which ultimately improves patient services and outcomes.”

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The Bundaberg Hospital post discharge letter asking a patient to use private health care on a procedure already done in their public hospital. Picture: Supplied

A Queensland Health spokesperson said giving patients the choice to use their private health cover in public hospitals is a “long-established practice enshrined in national agreements”.

“There are many reasons why a patient may elect to be treated as a private patient in a public hospital. These include the right to be treated by a doctor of their choice, and the unavailability of private hospitals in some regions and for some specialities,” the spokesperson said.

Patients who used their cover do not face any out-of-pocket expenses under their private health insurance.

“This is because any excess under their policies may be met at the discretion of the hospital,” the spokesperson said.

One in eight patients used their health cover to at least partially fund their treatment in Queensland public hospitals in 2015-16.

A Queensland Health spokesperson said giving patients the choice to use their private health cover in public hospitals is a “long-established practice enshrined in national agreements”.

MORE HEALTH NEWS:

Why your health fund is overcharging you

Aussies ditch health cover as premiums climb

How public hospitals are ripping off patients

New data released this week shows health fund membership has plunged to its lowest level in more than a decade as premiums continue to soar above the rate of inflation.

In June, just 44.2 per cent of the population was covered by a health fund after more than 28,500 people dumped their cover as premiums continued to outstrip inflation and out-of- pocket bills grew.

Public hospitals raked in over $1.6 billion from billing health funds every year and funds have estimated it is adding $92 to the average health fund premium.

Every Australian is entitled to be treated for free in a public hospital even if they have private health cover.

If you have any information on this practice, contact the reporter [e-mail]

Originally published as Letter from Bundaberg Hospital shows public hospitals bill patients after they are discharged