The Turnbull Government will reduce the cost of thousands of medical devices ranging from pacemakers and lenses to knees and hips by half-a-billion dollars to take pressure off private health insurance premiums for Australians.

Federal Member for Forde, Bert van Manen MP said the Turnbull Government was reforming regulations that have seen the cost of some medical devices inflated by thousands of dollars for private patients, which were paid for through higher premiums.

“This is great news for those in my electorate who have private health, with the onus now on private health insurers to pass on lower premium increases to their customers from next year,” Mr van Manen said.

“Our Government has consulted, listened and acted to deliver balanced reforms to ensure we keep private health insurance affordable while maintaining full patient access to medical devices.

“Many of the constituents I represent have made it clear to me that they don’t feel they are getting the best deal from their health funds.

“Unlike Labor, we have a plan to ensure consumers receive better value from their private health insurance and today’s announcement is a clear and decisive down payment on further reforms.”

The Turnbull Government’s prostheses reforms provide private health insurers with certainty over a reduction in their costs on medical devices to the tune of half-a-billion dollars over the next six years.

Prostheses reforms are just one part of the Turnbull government’s wider reforms to Private Health Insurance which includes our election commitments to deliver consumers better value for money by weeding out junk policies and simplifying policies so it’s easier to shop around.