SUBMISSION ON SHADOW PRICING PERIOD FOR GENERAL USE ITEMS ON PROSTHESES LIST

CHA's submission to Department of Health and Aged Care on the proposal for a shadow pricing period of two years from July 2023 for bundled general use items coming off the prostheses list.

14 October 2022



SUBMISSION ON DEFAULT BENEFITS

CHA's submission to EY's consultation paper on private health insurance default benefit arrangements.

29 September 2022



REQUEST FOR PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION TO REVIEW HEALTH SECTOR

CHA's request of government to empower the Productivity Commission to review the most appropriate policy settings for the health sector.

20 September 2022



INTRODUCTORY LETTER TO HEALTH MINISTER MARK BUTLER

Introductory letter to Mark Butler on his appointment as Health Minister in Albanese Labor government

2 June 2022



REPORT INTO WORKFORCE SHORTAGES IN HOSPITALS & AGED CARE SERVICES

Excess Demand for Nursing and other Professional Services in Hospitals and Aged Care – a report commissioned by CHA and conducted by Evaluate and University of Notre Dame – April 2022

20 May 2022



CHA ANALYSIS OF THE 2022/23 BUDGET AND ITS IMPACT ON HEALTH AND HOSPITAL SECTOR

Read CHA’s analysis on the impact of the Budget on health and hospital sector

30 March 2022



CHA SUBMISSION TO REVIEW OF THE SECURITY LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION) BILL 2022

CHA has submitted a review to the Department of Home Affairs’s review of the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 which aims to protect Australia’s critical infrastructure against major cyber attacks. Hospitals are considered critical infrastructure

04 March 2022



LETTER TO MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS HON KAREN ANDREWS REGARDING COST IMPLICATIONS OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE LEGISLATION ON NOT-FOR-PROFIT HOSPITALS

CHA has written to Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews to detail the cost implications of Catholic not-for-profit hospitals in implementing the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020

04 March 2022



CHA LETTER TO MINISTER GREG HUNT ON THE ISSUE OF MANDATORY BUNDLES TO REPLACE ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE PROSTHESES LIST

CHA has written to Health Minister Greg Hunt on the issue of mandatory bundles for general use items being removed from the Prostheses List. In the letter CHA stressed the removal of items from the PL without establishing a viable alternative funding arrangement constitutes a complete transfer of risk from insurers to hospitals. This will inevitably compromise patient choice, clinician flexibility, and threaten the viability of services currently provided in private hospitals.

23 February 2022



CATHOLIC HEALTH AUSTRALIA’S PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION ON HEALTH

Read Catholic Health Australia’s submission to the Treasury for the 2002/23 Budget.

28 January 2022



CHA LETTER TO NSW HEALTH MINISTER BRAD HAZZARD ON IMPROVING VACCINATION REPORTING

Catholic Health Australia says there is a need to improve awareness of current levels of community protection by updating the definition of fully vaccinated and its corresponding statistics.

11 January, 2021



CHA RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION PAPER ON PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE REFORMS

CHA has submitted its response to the Department’s proposals on extending private health insurance policy coverage to young adults, reforms to out of hospital care in rehabilitation and mental health, and changes to Type C certification. CHA continues to advocate for recommendations made in their recent report OUT OF HOSPITAL CARE IN AUSTRALIA - ADVANCING HEALTH'S 'MISSING SECTOR'.

10 March 2021



CONSULTATION PAPER: OPTIONS FOR REFORMS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROSTHESES LIST

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is the peak body for Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 15 per cent of hospital-based healthcare in Australia. Our members provide around 30 per cent of private hospital care, 5 per cent of public hospital care, 12 per cent of aged care facilities, and 20 per cent of home care and support for the elderly..

15 February 2021



CATHOLIC HEALTH AUSTRALIA SUBMISSION ON HEALTH FOR THE 2021/22 BUDGET

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 15 per cent of hospital-based healthcare in Australia. Our members provide around 30 per cent of private hospital care, 5 per cent of public hospital care, 12 per cent of aged care facilities, and 20 per cent of home care and support for the elderly. CHA not-for-profit providers promote the ministry of health care as an integral element of the mission and work to fully provide health care to the sick, the aged and the dying. This ministry is founded on the dignity of the human person, giving preference to the needy, suffering and disadvantaged..

02 February 2021



SUBMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE END-OF-LIFE CHOICES (VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING) BILL 2020 FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TASMANIAN PARLIAMENT

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is the peak body for all Catholic health and aged care services in Australia. CHA is the largest non-government provider of health, community and aged care services in Australia. The Catholic Health and Aged Care sector is comprised of eighty hospitals (public and private), representing more than 10,000 hospital beds, 25,000 residential aged care beds, 36,500 consumer of home and community care, 7,000 aged care residential units and employing more than 84,000 staff..

21 January 2021



Out of hospital care in Australia

A major new report from Catholic Health Australia is calling on the Federal Government to unlock funding to allow more Australians to be treated in the comfort of their own home. The report, Out of Hospital Care in Australia – Advancing Health’s Missing Sector, finds current funding mechanisms prevent many private health patients from accessing hospital level care in their home for services such as renal dialysis, mental health, post-natal services, palliative care, and chemotherapy..

01 July 2020



CHA pre-budget submission for health

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 15per cent of hospital-based healthcare in Australia.

23 September 2020



OUT OF HOSPITAL CARE IN AUSTRALIA - ADVANCING HEALTH'S 'MISSING SECTOR' - A REPORT BY CATHOLIC HEALTH AUSTRALIA

Advancing health’s ‘missing sector’
Report by Catholic Health Australia
This paper has been prepared by Catholic Health Australia (CHA) in collaboration with the Centre for International Economics (CIE). CHA would like to thank all CHA members for their time, expertise and high-quality evidence provided. The paper would not have been possible without these valuable contributions from CHA members.

21 September 2020



Deputy CMO and Hospital Leaders to Discuss The New Normal in Australian Health Sector

I am writing on behalf of the Catholic Hospital sector regarding the expected discontinuation of MBS items for telehealth beyond September 2020. Catholic Health Australia (CHA) commends the Government’s rapid response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the measures enacted to protect the health and safety of our community, particularly our most vulnerable populations. Of those public health measures, expanding MBS telehealth items has proved a lifeline through the COVID-19 pandemic.

06 July 2020



SJOG Births New Model to Reduce Out of Pocket Expenses for New Mums

Out of hospital fees are a concern for all Australians but play heavily on the minds of expectant mothers. St John of God has recently launched a new service for women who want the peace of mind of having the birth in a private hospital but without being left with a big bill for obstetrician costs. Currently fees can vary from around $2,000 up to around $8,000 which can leave some women facing huge and unexpected out-of-pocket expenses

25 June 2020



Catholic Health Australia submission to the Senate Select Committee Inquiry into the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) appreciates the opportunity to respondto the Senate Select Committee Inquiry into the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. CHAis Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 15 per cent of hospital-based healthcare in Australia. Our members provide around 25 per cent of private hospital care, 5 per cent of public hospital care, 12 per cent of aged care facilities, and 20 per cent of home care and support for the elderly. ...

02 June 2020



Letter to Health Minister Greg Hunt concerning PPE shortages

Catholic hospitals account for nearly 20 per cent of all private and public hospitalservices delivered in Australia.

16 April 2020



Letter to Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy concerning impact on health workers of school closures

I am writing on behalf of the Catholic hospital network across Australia, specifically regarding strategies to ensure the availability of hospital staff–both clinical and non-clinical –over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ...

16 March 2020



Submission to the Federal Budget 2020/21

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 15 per cent of hospital-based healthcare in Australia.

04 February 2020



Submission to Educating the Nurse of the Future: Independent Review of Nursing Education in Australia

CHA welcomes an independent Review into Nursing Education in Australia, noting that this is the first significant review of education to be conducted in over a decade.

30 June 2019



Catholic Health Australia (CHA) Response to the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Mental Health in Australia

CHA appreciates the opportunity to provide input into the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Mental Health in Australia.

19 April 2019



Submission to the Queensland Inquiry into aged care, end-of-life and palliative care and voluntary assisted dying

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 10 per cent of hospital-based healthcare in Australia.

15 April 2019



Submission to the Federal Budget 2019/20

In this Pre-Budget Submission for Health, CHA has focused on four policy areas where we believe that access and equity to healthcare still requires better fundig and policy reform to meet the unmet health demands of all Australians.

01 March 2019



Submission to Fair Work Australia, re: 4 yearly review of Modern Awards - Health Professionals and Support Services Award

The Private Hospital Industry Employer Associations (PHIEA), of which CHA is a part, jointly lodged a submission to the Fair Work Commission (Matter No: AM2016/31) in December 2018 in response to the 4 yearly review of Modern Awards – Health Professionals and Support Services Award (MA000027)

07 December 2018



Submission to Fair Work Australia, re: 4 yearly review of Modern Awards - Nurses Award

The Private Hospital Industry Employer Associations (PHIEA), of which CHA is a part, jointly lodged a submission to the Fair Work Commission (Matter No: AM2016/31) in December 2018 in response to the 4 yearly review of Modern Awards – Nurses Award (MA000034)

07 December 2018



Deep Concerns raised by Restoring Territory Rights (Assisted Suicide Legislation) Bill 2015

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) and its members are deeply concerned that Senator David Leyonhjelm’s proposed “Restoring Territory Rights (Assisted Suicide Legislation) Bill 2015” serves to distract from the shameful reality of inadequate access to palliative and End of Life care in this country, contributing to a widespread fear of death and dying. Legislating for euthanasia and assisted suicide would have dangerous unintended consequences for our vulnerable Australians including Indigenous, ethnic, disabled, and our elderly, and has been consistently opposed by national and international medical experts.

09 August 2018



Public Consultation on Good Medical Practice

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services, providing care across 80 hospitals, 25,000 aged care beds and 36,500 home and community care clients. CHA represents 83,300 employees in our sector across Australia, all of whom hold distinct and unique views. Our employees continually strive to provide the highest quality patient centred care and we support them to act professionally, ethically, and to uphold their rights and responsibilities on issues of conscience.

03 August 2018



Pricing Framework for Australian Public Hospital Services 2019-20

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Pricing Framework for Australia Public Hospital Services 2019-20. As the largest grouping of not-for-profit hospitals and aged care services in Australia, we hope our feedback will provide valuable insight for IHPA in the development of a pricing framework.

07 July 2018



Response To Inquiry Into The Science Of Mitochondrial Donation And Related Matters

hank you for providing Catholic Health Australia (CHA) with the opportunity to respond to the Senate Inquiry into the Science of mitochondrial donation and related matters. CHA is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for approximately 10% of hospital based healthcare in Australia. Our members also provide around 30% of private hospital care, 5% of public hospital care, 12% of aged care facilities, and 20% of home care and support for the elderly.

01 June 2018



CHA Submission to Australian Capital Territory Inquiry into End of Life Choices in the ACT

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) represents Australia’s largest non-government grouping of hospitals, aged and community care services, providing approximately 10 per cent of hospital and aged care services in Australia. In the ACT, our member hospital services include Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, Calvary John James Hospital Deakin, the new Calvary Bruce Private Hospital, and specialist palliative care at Clare Holland House, Barton. We also provide aged care services in Aranda, Braddon, Bruce, Campbell, Deakin, Garran, Manuka, Page, and Yarralumla.

23 March 2018



Religious Freedom Review

This submission is from Catholic Health Australia (CHA). CHA is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 10% of hospital based healthcare in Australia. Our members also provide around 30% of private hospital care, 5% of public hospital care, 12% of aged care facilities, and 20% of home care and support for the elderly. Approximately 80,000 people work in the Catholic health and aged care sector.

14 February 2018



Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Skilling Australians Fund) Bill 2017 and the Migration (Skilling Australians Fund) Charges Bill 2017. Catholic Health Australia (CHA) represents Australia’s largest non-government grouping of hospitals, aged and community care services, providing approximately 10 per cent of hospital and aged care services in Australia. CHA represents more than 77 hospitals which account for more than 25 per cent of Australia’s private hospital beds and around 5 per cent of Australia’s public hospital beds. Our organisations together employ more than 82, 000 people and approximately ¾ of them are women.

25 January 2018



Submission - Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017

This submission was drafted and lodged by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference following consultation with various stakeholders, including Catholic Health Australia. This submission is from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC). The ACBC is a permanent institution of the Catholic Church in Australia and the instrumentality used by the Australian Catholic Bishops to act nationally and address issues of national significance.

22 January 2018



Healthcare Pre-Budget Submission 2018-19

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 10 percent of hospital-based healthcare in Australia. Our members also provide around 30 percent of private hospital care, 5 percent of public hospital care, 12 percent of aged care facilities, and 20 percent of home care and support for the elderly. Australia has one of the best health systems in the world, repeatedly ranking in the top ten worldwide. The Commonwealth Fund, an independent United States (US) think tank, released a report in July 2017 that ranked Australia’s health system second overall when compared with 11 other high income countries.1 Australia ranked number one when it came to health outcomes, demonstrating the high quality care our system is able to provide.

02 January 2018



CHA Response to PHI Reforms

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is pleased to respond to the Department of Health’s Private Health Insurance (PHI) reforms forum that was held in December 2017. CHA members support the Department’s approach to hold an open and transparent forum with health stakeholders to consider the recent private health reforms with potential impacts on the health system. CHA is Australia’s largest non-government not-for-profit grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for around 10% of hospital based healthcare in Australia. Our members also provide around 30% of private hospital care, 5% of public hospital care, 12% of aged care facilities, and 20% of home care and support for the elderly. CHA values the goal of a health system that respects human dignity, is person-centred, supports vulnerable populations, and supports the appropriate stewardship of resources. Our members invest heavily in expanding services to those in need and represent one of the predominant groups for private hospital services in regional and rural areas. As the largest grouping of not-for-profit hospitals and aged care services in Australia, we hope our feedback will provide valuable insight for the Department through the next stage of reforms.

22 December 2017



Submission to Western Australian Inquiry into End of Life Choices

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) represents Australia’s largest non-government grouping of hospitals, aged and community care services, providing approximately 10 per cent of hospital and aged care services in Australia, including around 30 per cent of private hospital care as well as approximately 5 per cent of public hospital care.

22 October 2017



CSSA CHA Submission Welfare Reform Bill 2017 Final

This is a joint submission from Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) and Catholic Health Australia (CHA). Our comments are made in association with the detailed submission of St Vincent’s Health Australia, the forefront hospital and health provider in the treatment of drug addiction, and a member of CHA. Both CSSA and CHA are strongly opposed to compulsory drug testing in trial sites (Schedule 12) and measures that target people with drug and alcohol addiction (Schedule 13 and 14). We also oppose the punitive measures proposed under the targeted compliance framework (Schedule 15).

14 August 2017



Upsetting the Balance: How the Growth of Private Patients in Public Hospitals is Impacting Australia’s Health System

Catholic Health Australia's (CHA) latest report titled Upsetting the Balance: How the Growth of Private Patients in Public Hospitals is Impacting Australia’s Health System is the not-for-profit Catholic hospital sector’s response to concerns about the significant increase in private patients in public hospitals. It finds that the trend is having a damaging effect on patients, stakeholders, as well as the balance of Australia’s mixed model health system, and ultimately, the universality of Medicare. The report finds growing inequity between public and private patients, with private patients receiving a number of inducements in some public hospitals that are not available to public patients. There is also evidence that, on average, public patients are waiting more than twice as long as private patients for elective surgeries in public hospitals.

21 June 2017



Submission to Targeted Prostheses Review

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is pleased to note that a targeted review of prostheses was a recommendation from the Senate Inquiry into Community Affairs (Price regulations associated with the Prostheses List framework) report (11 May 2017). While acknowledging that the intent of the draft proposal was to outline an indicative approach, CHA would like to highlight the a number of considerations for inclusion into any framework going forward, with particular emphasis upon utilising an evidence-based, and rigorous review process – without pricing deliberations.

02 June 2017



CHA-APHA report: Education and training in the private hospital sector

Private hospitals make a significant contribution to training Australia’s health professionals. Since the last time a similar survey was undertaken in 2004 (Allen Consulting Group 2005), private hospitals have increased their investment in medical workforce training by nearly 250 per cent. This report outlines the nature of training and education costs incurred by the private hospital sector, along with the return on investment by government. This report also places those achievements in the context of the challenges facing the health sector in addressing current and forecast workforce and skills shortages while at the same time meeting growing demands for health services as efficiently and effectively as possible.

31 May 2017



Submission to the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill (VIC) Discussion Paper

CHA's submission on behalf of members and their clinicians outlining concerns with the content of Victoria's Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill Discussion Paper that does not adequately support patients or clinicians and has the potential consequence of redirecting patients away from humane end-of-life alternatives offered through palliative care.br>
13 April 2017



Response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Introducing Competition and Informed User Choice in Human Services: Reforms to Human Services

The opportunities for competition, contestability, and choice in human services are variable across different fields and jurisdictions. CHA acknowledges that where there is a dearth of providers to offer services or the sector is underfunded, opportunities for competition, contestability, and choice in human services may be limited. This is of particular concern in regional, rural, and remote jurisdictions. Due to the overlapping and complex needs of those who access human services, there is a need for better coordination among providers within each area as well as across sectors that build on the existing infrastructure to promote innovation and quality improvements. Using integrated models to coordinate the delivery of services could reveal greater gains from efficiencies in the system.

10 February 2017



Pre-Budget 2017-18 Submission (Health & Aged Care)

Although Australians generally enjoy good health by comparison with most other countries, there are many groups that are still missing out. They include people whose circumstances and background make it more likely that they will disproportionately suffer from ill health than those in society at large, as well as those who find it hard to access necessary health services. CHA's Pre-Budget Submission 2017-18 provides a number of policy recommendations to government to improve Australia’s vast and complex health and aged care system.

08 February 2017



RELEASE OF THE LESSONS LEARNT REPORT INTO COVID-19 IN VICTORIA

A report into operations under COVID-19 conditions was compiled by Catholic Health Australia in conjunction with Australian Catholic University, and surveyed executives from four major providers in Victoria: Mercy Health, St John of God Health Care, St Vincent’s Health Australia and Villa Maria Catholic Homes.

08 April 2021