The Your Health Your Choice consumer campaign welcomes the Liberal National Government’s announcement to commission an updated review of natural therapies, including a five year update to its 2014-15 review of natural therapies, providing it is done transparently and ethically.
YHYC spokesperson Ms Petrina Reichman said, “This announcement is a result of the LNP bowing to pressure from the 13,323 Australians that personally wrote to Minister Hunt and LNP MPs and Senators since February this year, in addition to thousands of others that wrote to Minister Hunt after the policy became law in September 2018.” Other groups and experts have also presented the Government with up to date research demonstrating effectiveness for many of the affected therapies.
A poll of nearly 4,000 people conducted in 2018 showed that 95% would either cancel (50%) or reduce (45%) their level of private health cover if the policy went ahead.
However the announcement sidelines public demand that Minister Hunt change the Private Health Insurance (Health Insurance Business) Rules 2018 to allow health insurers to independently offer rebates for natural therapies if they choose – which Minister Hunt could do without needing to go through Parliament – a move also supported by the Private Health Insurance Association (PHA).
Almost 110,000 people have signed a Senate petition calling for an inquiry into bias and procedural and scientific misconduct associated with the first of 17 natural therapies included in the Review of the Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance for Natural Therapies, conducted by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) between 2012 and 2014.
For more information and to stay in the know make sure you head to: https://www.yourhealthyourchoice.com.au/news-features/breaking-2mil-pledged-to-update-natural-therapy-reviews/
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