In response to comments made by the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) in the Herald Sun on 10 June, hirmaa has called on the devices and prostheses industry to work with private health insurers to deliver fairer and more transparent pricing to consumers.
Letter to the Editor
Herald Sun, 13 June 2016
Here’s to good health
EFFORTS by global multinational corporations to kill off much-needed reform of medical device s doe s the national interest a disservice (YS, June 10 ).
The Medical Technology Association o f Australia represents some of the world’s biggest corporate medical device makers, which have pre-tax global earnings in the billions.
The prices of medical devices like artificial hips, knees and pacemakers in Australia are in some instances up to 300 per cent higher than in comparable countries. The truth is the price of medical devices in Australia is grossly inflated and is placing the sustainability of the entire health system at risk.
hirmaa (the peak body for not- for-profit, member-owned insurers) believes that rather than defending the exorbitant profits of behemoths, the MTAA should be working with health insurers, the government and consumer groups to deliver a fairer outcome for Australian families.
Matthew Koce, CEO, hirmaa