Author: Team

Labor’s Election Review: Where to Now?

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It is clear from the review that Labor was saddled with both an unpopular leader and unpopular policies.  It might have been able to succeed with one or the other but not both.

Labor has a fundamental issue with wanting to be both a progressive party appealing to city voters, while also being able to simultaneously appeal to the battlers in the suburbs and regions where economic concerns are paramount.

How does it reconcile the demands of both of these demographic groups, that is the challenge.

The fight over climate change and the Adani coal mine became the prism through which this issue was best exemplified.

Adani personified this intractable problem.  Labor wanted to be seen as being progressive on climate change in the cities, while Queensland coal miners in particular saw this as Labor selling out their jobs.

It also sent a broader message.  In vacillating over Adani, Labor could not say that they supported blue collar jobs that potentially any new development would bring.

For a party founded on giving a political voice to workers, this was deadly.  It is no surprise then that Labor’s primary vote in Queensland was 28% and Labor holds only 6 of 30 Federal seats in that state.

A key point that the review makes is that the ALP should avoid becoming a grievance-based organisation.  No political party can be all things to all people.  In taking a stand on issues, a party will inevitably please some and upset others.

While wanting to ensure that minority groups have a voice in the political process, it does not mean that Labor can adopt every minority group with a grievance.  For Labor that means in some cases simply saying ‘No’.

The review also makes clear that Labor needs to reposition itself as the party of economic growth and reform, job creation and rising living standards.

This is quite a common-sense recommendation, but how will Labor give meaning to this.

It is clear that since the election both Anthony Albanese and the Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers in major speeches have changed Labor’s narrative in regard to the economy.

As an example, they have dropped the derogatory term “big end of town” in recognition that both small and large businesses both make significant contributions to economic prosperity.

Labor need to develop a credible narrative on the economy supported by policies that will give substance to that narrative.  The Opposition will need to demonstrate how they will grow the economic pie and with that increase living standards and wages, as opposed to just having polices dedicated to slicing up the economic pie.

And the target of these policies have to be those in the outer suburbs and regions.  As Jim Chalmers said, “There’s no path to victory that doesn’t travel through the ring roads and growth corridors of outer metropolitan Australia.  You can’t have a strong national economy without good jobs and rising living standards in the suburbs.”

Its two and half years until the next election so Labor have time on their side.  The review findings provide a potential roadmap.  Will they follow its directions or get lost along the road?

A major indication will be next year when Labor hold its National Conference, one year earlier than usual where it will settle on its national policy platform.

This document will go a long way to demonstrating whether Labor will indeed be a party of economic growth and reform or a grievance-based organisation!![/vc_column_text][vc_zigzag][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1915″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Fassina is the Managing Director of Insight Strategy and has served as a strategic adviser to MedTech and pharmaceutical stakeholders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

A Conversation with Guy Leech

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]IN GUY’S WORDS:

In Feb, 2016 that all changed for me.

A shocking tragedy, that made me rethink my entire life purpose and question everything that I was doing both personally and professionally.

When one of my best mates “Chucky” collapsed after one of our paddling sessions, I found myself in an impossible situation.  I quickly did what I thought was the right thing, Airway, Breathing, Circulation… no pulse, no breathing.. call the ambulance.. start CPR… everything will be ok… Chucky will be fine.

The ambulance arrived around 10 minutes after the phone call, and they quickly set up the defibrillator as I continued CPR on Chucky.  Once they had him in the ambulance they took him directly to the Royal North Shore Hospital.  He was in the best possible care.  Chucky was fit, he was healthy.

He suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).  He was not alone.  In Australia, around 30,000 people suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) each year.  Only around 6% of these people survive, because there wasn’t a defib close by – if you can get a defib on the patient in the first three minutes you increase the chance of survival to over 70%!

Unfortunately, Chucky never recovered and passed away after a week in hospital.

One of life’s most haunting questions I ask myself is “What if?” What if I had a defib in the car, What if I the cafe nearby had a defib? What if I could have put Chucky on a defib in that first 180 seconds?  If any of my other fit and healthy friends, my kids, my wife were to suffer from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest?  Where is the nearest defib right now?  Does anyone know how to use it?

As an athlete, my life had been all about looking after myself, and a few seconds would determine winning vs losing.  Since retiring, I have built my business on the idea of looking after your body and your mind was the most important thing in life.  When Chucky died, I realised that it was not enough.

People need to know that 180 seconds could be the difference between life and death.

Everyday, fit and healthy people suffer from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  Whilst good diet, exercise and managing stress can reduce the incidence of heart disease, Sudden Cardiac Arrest can strike anyone, any time.  When it does, over 90% of these people will die.  Chance are the ambulance won’t get there in that first three minutes.  If a defib is put on the victim in that time we increase the chance of survival to over 70%!

Maybe Chucky would have lived, I will never know.

My mission now is to help people become Heart Smart by making sure that we have defibs available, and people are trained in how to use them confidently in the case of Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  The reality is we can get the defib on the patient in the first 180 Seconds, to give them their best chance of living. To find out more about defibrillators and how to buy them go to my site HEART180.com.au[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Medical Technology Industry’s Commitment To Ethical Practice

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Medical Technology Association of Australia’s (MTAA) Code of Practice (the Code) is mandatory for member companies and sets high standards for ethical interactions with healthcare providers.

The Code ensures that decision-making on selection and use of products by doctors, or hospital purchasing departments, is based solely on the quality and suitability of the product, not on inducements (perceived or otherwise) paid to the doctor or other decision-maker.

While the Code is not legislated, it does serve as an industry best practice guide for all medical technology companies to follow, and the MTAA takes seriously any alleged breaches of its Code.

Breaches of the Code may be referred, by the Code Authority, to an independent complaints committee for investigation, and may result in the imposition of financial penalties.

There is very high compliance with MTAA’s Code amongst members. However, device companies who are not MTAA members do not have such a Code. MTAA calls for the implementation of a harmonised industry code of practice which all device manufacturers and suppliers are required to adhere to by law or regulation. The MTAA Code of Practice would be an appropriate basis for such a harmonised code.

This is the 11th edition of the MTAA Code of Practice. Updates include:

  • A requirement for Code training to be completed by new employees within three months of commencing employment
  • Amendments to ensure the complaints process is simplified and that any party involved in a complaint has a clear understanding of the process and what is required of them.
  • Amendments to ensure alignment with the requirements of the recent Commonwealth Whistle-blower legislation.

 

MTAA is firmly committed to the high-standards of integrity and ethical behaviour of the industry as it continues to assist Australians to lead healthier and more productive lives through timely access to innovative and safe medical technology.

The Code is available on the MTAA website.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Health Minister Confirms Protheses Reforms Are Working

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Reforms to medical device pricing were implemented as part of the Agreement between MTAA and the Government in October 2017.

Health Minister Greg Hunt told the Australian Financial Review today that:

We have reduced the cost of prostheses to patients and private health insurers by up to 20 per cent for some classes of medical devices…These cost reductions have helped to keep the average premium changes in 2019 to the lowest level in 18 years.

 Under the government’s agreement with the MTAA, price reductions were applied to medical devices listed on the Prostheses List in 2018 and again in 2019. An additional round of cost reductions will apply from 1 February 2020 to continue to reduce costs to private health insurers and patients.[1]

“The devices industry was the sole contributor to lower private health insurance premium increases both in 2017 and in 2018,” said MTAA CEO Ian Burgess today.

“MTAA’s Agreement with the Government is on track to exceed $1.1 billion in expected savings.

“Medical devices make up less than 10 per cent of private health insurance benefits, yet the insurers continue to spread misinformation around the causes of higher than expected premium increases.

“Access to modern life-saving technology through the Prostheses List is a key part of the value proposition of private health insurance.

“Patient and clinician choice is a key part of the value proposition of private health insurance, one that risks being eroded by the false claims made by insurers about the cost of devices.

“The medical technology industry believes access to a full range of medical technology is one of the key benefits of having private health insurance and we’re committed to helping ensure all Australians lead healthier and more productive lives,” Mr Burgess concluded.

[1] https://www.afr.com/companies/healthcare-and-fitness/government-rejects-claims-prosthetic-reforms-have-failed-20191107-p538an

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New Medicare Rebates for PET Scans for Breast Cancer

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]From 1 November 2019, the new Medicare rebates will ensure patients with advanced breast cancer can better manage and plan their treatment.

Around 12,000 patients will benefit from these services each year.

In 2019, the estimated number of new cases of breast cancer diagnosed will be greater than 19,300 and more than 3,000 women are expected to die from the disease.

Enormous strides in medical research, diagnosis, treatment and care means the chance of surviving at least five years is now 91 per cent.

The listing of the whole body 18F-FDG2 PET scan for the evaluation of breast cancer boosts efforts to improve the health outcomes for breast cancer patients.

With the Medicare subsidy, the PET scans – a minimally invasive nuclear medicine imaging technique – will save women up to $1,000 per scan.

The new services are:

  • Whole body PET performed for the staging of locally advanced (Stage III) breast cancer (Item 61524)
  • Whole body PET performed for the evaluation of suspected metastatic, or suspected locally or regionally recurrent, breast carcinoma (Item 61525).

The independent expert Medical Services Advisory Committee recommended the listing of these new items.

The committee recommended the new services on the basis that they are comparatively safe, clinically appropriate and cost effective.

The Federal Government is strongly committed to reducing the toll of breast cancer on Australians and their families.

Early detection is key, and for many years now, Australian women aged between 50 and 74 have been invited to access free screening mammograms every two years via the BreastScreen Australia Program.

The Government has said that it is continuing to list the latest proven treatments for breast cancer on the PBS. In May, Ibrance® (palbociclib) was listed for patients with inoperable or metastatic hormone receptor positive breast cancer.

Around 3,000 women each year will benefit from this decision. Without the PBS subsidy, Ibrance would cost around $55,000 for a year’s treatment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

AMA: Value Of Private Health Insurance Continues To Decline

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Launching the report in Canberra on Thursday, AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone, warned that the private health insurance sector in Australia is on the precipice.

Dr Bartone said that the Government, the insurers, and all stakeholders must work together to make private health insurance more attractive for more Australians, especially younger people.

“With more than sixty percent of elective surgery in Australia occurring in the private sector, the prospect of greater stress and demand being placed on the already overstretched public hospital system is looming large unless the drift away from private health insurance is stopped,” Dr Bartone said.

“Australians need and demand private health policies that are affordable, transparent, good value, and appropriate for their individual or family circumstances, or they will walk away from private health insurance altogether.

“An increasing number of younger and healthy Australians are opting out of private health insurance.

“This is leaving a higher proportion of older patients who are increasingly more likely to be suffering from illness or chronic disease and, as a result, they are more expensive to insure, further driving up premiums. This trend is not sustainable.

“We are still seeing increases in premiums averaging 3 to 5 per cent a year, when wages growth is firmly stuck at around 2 per cent.

“Sooner or later, the number of people with private health insurance will fall further – and dramatically.”

“We need to work to bring back the value in insurance policies, before it is too late.”

Shadow Health Minister Chris Bowen echoed concerns about the value of private health insurance policies.

“The AMA’s report card on PHI comes only 24 hours after calls from CHOICE for the Government to review Private Health Insurance after their updated analysis confirmed that consumers aren’t getting value for money when it comes to their health insurance,” said Mr Bowen.

“Earlier this week the Private Health Industry called to privatise access to general practitioners and other services, which would be a dangerous step towards Americanising our health care system,” Mr Bowen said.

The medical devices industry was the sole contributor to lower private health insurance premium increases both in 2017 and in 2018. The Medical Technology Association of Australia’s Agreement with the Government is on track to exceed $1.1 billion in expected savings.

“Access to a full range of medical technology is one of the key benefits of having private health insurance and we’re committed to helping ensure all Australians lead healthier and more productive lives,” said MTAA CEO Ian Burgess.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

BioMedTech Horizons: Round 3 Applications Are Now Open

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Expressions of interest are now open for the third tranche of funding, with grants of up to $1 million available for medical device projects targeting innovative solutions to address unmet clinical needs in three key focus areas:

Digitally enabled medical devices in mobile health, health information technology, wearable devices, telehealth and telemedicine, and digitally enabled personalised medicine Digitally enabled implantable medical devices addressing unmet needs in any therapeutic area General medical devices in the areas of regenerative medicine, women’s health, cardiovascular, orthopaedics, neuroscience, general surgery and oncology.

This funding, BMTH3.0, is delivered via the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), and administered by MTPConnect, the Medical Technology and Pharmaceutical Industry Growth Centre.

Investments from the program are focused on funding proof-of-concept to commercial development of biomedical and medical technologies (biomedtech).

The funding provided for the BioMedTEch Horizons initiative is thanks to an Agreement signed between MTAA and the Commonwealth Government.

For more information and to apply, visit https://www.mtpconnect.org.au/biomedtechhorizons.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Insurers Fail To Address Sustainability Issues, Blame Everyone Else For It

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“…insurers’ lack of preparedness to deal with growing risks, including declining affordability, a shrinking and ageing membership base, and changes in government policy.

The review found that while insurers were well aware of the risks, very few had credible strategies to mitigate their impact on sustainability. APRA observed a heavy reliance on lobbying politicians and other industry stakeholders due to a concerning assumption by many insurers that Government would provide solutions.

“…that’s not an excuse for doing nothing and hoping the Government will fix everything.”[1]

Now, as the next round of premium increases draws closer, the insurers have chosen to deliberately mislead the public about the causes of premium growth, as they continue to devalue their own product through the suggestion that the listing of new and innovative technologies is somehow a negative.

“What we are seeing is an increasingly desperate attempt by the private health insurance industry to rein in their costs and maintain their profitability by pointing the finger at everyone else,” said Ian Burgess, CEO of the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) today.

“Medical devices make up less than 10 per cent of private insurance benefits.

“The devices industry was the sole contributor to lower private health insurance premium increases both in 2017 and in 2018. MTAA’s Agreement with the Government is on track to exceed $1.1 billion in expected savings.

“The claim that the listing of new, innovative and more clinically effective technologies is somehow a negative, is completely absurd and demonstrates that the insurers have lost focus on patients,” Mr Burgess said.

Meanwhile, insurer profits continue to increase, with NIB reporting a 9.2 per cent increase in annual profit recently to $201.8 million, with a share price increase of 31 per cent over the past six months, and Medibank Private’s share price up 16 per cent.

The recently released AlphaBeta report, Keeping Premiums Low: Towards a more sustainable private healthcare system, found that insurers have collected 50% more profit from each of their members over the past five years, far outpacing the 21% growth in benefits paid out.

It also found that private health funds have not extracted sufficient economies of scale in the wake of significant revenue growth and many funds are well above the industry average of 9% in operational expenditure, this includes an estimated marketing spend of $400 million.

“After tax profits for insurers are up 15% over the past three years as affordability for ordinary Australian families goes down,” Mr Burgess said.

“Patient and clinician choice is a key part of the value proposition of private health insurance, one that risks being eroded by the false claims made by insurers about the cost of devices,” said Mr Burgess.

“The medical technology industry believes access to a full range of medical technology is one of the key benefits of having private health insurance and we’re committed to helping ensure all Australians lead healthier and more productive lives,” Mr Burgess concluded.

[1] https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-calls-out-private-health-insurers-over-inaction-to-address-financial

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