Private health insurance use in Australian hospitals, 2006–07 to 2015–16

Publication
Release Date: 06 Dec 2017
Author: AIHW
Media release

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This report presents information on admitted patient hospitalisations that were completely or partially funded by private health insurance in Australia’s public and private hospitals over the past 10 years. It compares private health insurance-funded hospitalisations with hospitalisations for public patients and patients funded by other sources. Private health insurance is funding a growing proportion of public hospital admissions—rising from about 1 in 12 in 2006–07, to 1 in 7 in 2015–16.

ISSN: 2205-5096 (PDF) 1036-613X (Print)
ISBN: 978-1-76054-270-2
Cat. no: HSE 196
Pages: 172

Findings from this report:

Patients aged >75 or <19 had more private health stays in public hospitals (30%, 12%) than private hospitals (21%, 5%)
Private health patients' median waiting time for elective surgery is 20 days, compared to 42 days for public patients
Private health insurance funded public hospital admissions are growing—from 8.2% in 2006–07 to 13.9% in 2015–16

Contents
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Symbols
Summary
1 Introduction
- What’s in this report?
- What data are drawn on for this report?
- Terms and methods used in this report
- Where to go for more information
- Other reporting/suggested reading
2 Who has private health insurance in Australia?
- Key data issues
- Key findings
3 Funding sources for separations in Australian hospitals, 2006–07 to 2015–16
- Key data issues
- Key findings
4 Funding sources for separations in Australian hospitals, 2015–16
- Key data issues
- Key findings
5 Broad categories of service, 2015–16
- Key data issues
- Key findings
6 Childbirth
- Key data issues
- Key findings
7 Surgical care
- 7.1 Emergency admissions involving surgery
- 7.2 Non-emergency admissions involving surgery
8 Medical care
- 8.1 Emergency medical care
- 8.2 Non-emergency medical care
9 Other acute care
- 9.1 Emergency separations for other acute care
- 9.2 Non-emergency separations for other acute care
10 Mental health care
- Key data issues
- Key findings
11 Subacute and non-acute care
- 11.1 All subacute and non-acute care
- 11.2 Rehabilitation care
Appendix A: Data Quality Statement summary
Appendix B: Technical notes
Glossary
References
List of tables
List of figures
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