title: The hidden cost of private health insurance in Australia.
abstract: The provision of health services in Australia currently is primarily financed by a unique interaction of public and private insurers. This commentary looks at a loophole in this framework, namely that private insurers have to date been able to avoid funding healthcare for some of their policy holders, as it is not a requirement to use private insurance when treatment occurs in Australian public hospitals.
authors.affiliation: Dana Farber Cancer Institution, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02446, USA. Davinia_Seah@dfci.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Davinia S E
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Seah
authors.forename: Timothy Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Matthew H R
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Anstey
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005380:Financing, Government; D005382:Financing, Personal; D005102:Health Expenditures; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics; D040841:Resource Allocation; D019472:Universal Health Insurance / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence