MBF welcomes broader health cover changes with plans for four new health management programs
Release date: March 29th, 2007
MBF has welcomed the Federal Government's legislative changes for broader private health cover arrangements particularly their wider scope for preventative health and chronic disease management programs.
Dr Christine Bennett, MBF group executive health and financial solutions and chief medical officer, said that assisting members with chronic health conditions would be MBF's immediate focus following the legislation's passage through Federal Parliament.
Four new health management programs - chronic back pain, arthritis, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive lung disease - would be added to MBF's existing asthma and diabetes management programs.
"We believe that broader health cover's emphasis on preventative healthcare and chronic disease management to reduce the likelihood of hospital admissions is a significant step forward," Dr Bennett said.
"MBF's initial focus on expanding our health management programs will help achieve positive health outcomes for members. It is not our intention to deliver the programs ourselves. We will instead rely on organisations with appropriate accreditation and a track record of achieving evidence-based outcomes and quality care.
"We believe strongly that the clinical relationship between doctors and their patients is fundamental. Our programs will offer members greater choice to improve their health and wellbeing and manage chronic conditions in consultation with their doctors or other health professionals."
The four new MBF health management programs involve:
- Positively managing arthritis - self-management strategies can improve pain control, reduce depression and maintain an active lifestyle.
- Positively managing back pain - practical advice and information can help chronic back pain sufferers reduce its debilitating and lifestyle limiting effects.
- Positively managing chronic obstructive lung disease - action plans developed with members' doctors can help deal with the impact of conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
- Positively managing congestive heart failure - effective management can reduce the need for hospital admissions and allow fuller more satisfying lives.
Dr Bennett said the broader health cover provisions also resonated with MBF's in2life program that encourages members to take control of their health and well being in areas such as healthy eating and physical activity.
Broader health cover's provision for hospital-in-the-home treatments such as chemotherapy and wound management had longer term potential to be driven largely by clinical practice and choices.
"MBF is well placed for this new environment because our agreements with a number of private hospitals already provide for hospital-in-the-home programs and these will develop independently over time as doctors opt for new treatment options," Dr Bennett said.
"This is the beginning of a new era but it will take time to construct new partnerships and arrangements.
"The introduction of broader health cover is relevant and timely as improving population health and developing cost effective treatment options will be of vital importance as Australia addresses the health impact of demographic change due to population ageing."
