Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 1:14:10 to 1:16:34
Senator Ruston questions the department on its modeling of policy impacts, specifically regarding the number of individuals expected to downgrade their health insurance coverage.
Topics: Health, Government spending
Speakers: Senator Anne Ruston, Ross Hawkins, Unknown Speaker, Paul McBride, Senator Ellie Whiteaker, Celia Street
>> Oh, no. Wasn't secretary. Sorry. [laughter] Apologies.
>> Been promoted.
>> Probably not after this. Senator,
>> sorry. I thought I thought the assistant minister was gesturing, but yes, along
the table. Senator through our Senate inquiries and we provided our impact analysis. We provided a response to the
Senate inquiry. We've talked about we've talked about the 44,000. We've talked about the composition of those tried to provide details of states and territories. We don't have details of of downgrade of cover because our model that we predicated this on and happy to again run you through that is actually a model that looks at what does the growth look like in PHI yearon year. So the 44 that we've taken and the kind of numbers that we provided is a decrease to that overall growth. So numbers of people with PHI over 65. You're not answering my question. >> Senator I have I don't have that data.
branch. We we we do and we have provided we've explained before over 65s have that serves their health needs.
>> Mr. McBride you're not answering my question either and I'm going to I I mean with the greatest amount of respect I I I'm incredibly patient when you keep answering another question. We are talking about a particular policy decision and I respect that you're giving me information about private health insurance behavior of people over the age of 65 in a general context. We are talking about this particular policy. So if we could just keep it to that that would be great. Um and I know Mr. Hawkins that you've talked constantly about 44,000. We subsequently found out that was year 1 and there was 78 in year two and we still don't know what the numbers are in year three. But in this freedom of information document that I have, one of your officials in the department of health who I'm not going to name said that this is this is a key cohort we currently do not capture. So a key cohort. So a key cohort in the context of them seeking to understand better the implication on the public hospital system of these changes.