Ramsay and HBF at loggerheads

Ramsay Health Care, operator of Hollywood, Joondalup, Attadale, and Glengarry private hospitals has withdrawn from negotiations with HBF over fee increases, which HBF claims are too high. The health insurer put pressure on Ramsay through a letter sent to members in July warning of higher admission charges, but when quizzed, an HBF spokesperson confirmed HBF will honour its previous agreement with Ramsay and not charge members default ‘second tier' benefits. The dispute is before the Health Insurance Ombudsman with a resolution expected soon. Stay tuned!

St John review submissions

You've probably seen the Four Corners Report on the alleged systemic failures of St John Ambulance and heard the media and political bluster. St John Ambulance's Medical Director Dr Garry Wilkes gives his perspective on the issue on page 4. Now, Kim Hames is calling for submissions as part of the review into St John's quality and safety (before the government renews their ambulance service contract). The review is to be conducted by Greg Joyce, former Director-General of the Department of Housing and Works and overseen by Dr Simon Towler, the Department of Health's Chief Medical Officer. If interested, send your submissions to Ms Kim Loh, Development Division, Department of Health, PO Box 8172, Perth Business Centre, WA, 6849, or via email to loh.kim@health.wa.gov.au. Hurry, submissions close  early August!

Stan and the Medical Board

Doctors may have been worried about where their fees were heading after reading in The West that fraud squad detectives had charged prominent Stamfords accountant Stan Palassis with stealing $80,000 from the WA Medical Board...