MJA
MJA

Non-reimbursement for preventable health care-acquired conditions

Christopher Davis
Med J Aust 2016; 204 (3): . || doi: 10.5694/mja15.00952
Published online: 15 February 2016

Managing health care risk must be evidence based and not harm patients or the common good

The decision by Australia’s largest private health insurer Medibank to not reimburse hospitals for 165 hospital-acquired complications that it deems preventable has the stated objective of improving patient care and thereby containing costs.1 As with all health care claims, this requires assessment of potential efficacy as well as possible perverse or harmful outcomes.

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