This is the first report on private health insurance to be
published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. It
provides detailed information about the benefits that different
groups of insured persons derive from health insurance. It also
analyses the impact of community rating* on premiums paid by the
different groups.
Private health insurance and community rating: who has
benefited? provides information on a current and important public
health issue. It will be of interest to health planners and
administrators, health insurers and health researchers.
* Community rating requires that funds charge the same premiums
regardless of a person's age or state of health. Insurance price
was based on average per person premiums under the existing system
of community rating. It should be noted that not all individuals
pay exactly this amount for health insurance. Premiums vary from
the average according to the size of the family purchasing
insurance, the type of premium purchased, and the particular fund
joined.
2 May 1997
Further information:Deborah Schofield, ph. 02
6244 1158.
General media liaison:Lyn Elliott, ph. 02 6244
1034.
For media copies of the report (32 pp):Chris
Finnegan, ph. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications Catalogue
for details.