Health funds and the Fair Health Care Alliance
At Richmond Road Dental, we treat members of all health funds. We offer on-the-spot health fund claims via our HICAPS machine, eliminating the need to submit your receipts for rebate yourself.
Why we choose not to participate in ‘preferred provider’ and ‘members’ choice’ schemes
We do not contract with health funds and participate in ‘preferred provider’ or ‘members choice’ schemes.
A ‘preferred provider’ dentist (or similar) has entered into a financial business agreement with the health fund, which will dictate:
- what services the dentist can provide
- and at what cost (often less than what is reasonably acceptable).
In return, the health fund will direct their clients to specific ‘preferred provider’ dentists using the enticement that they (the patient) will pay less out-of-pocket expenses at that particular provider.
In other words, this arrangement is not based on the dentist’s quality of services but is simply a financial agreement between two entities.
It seems odd that, in return for the high premiums a member pays for their health insurance, they cannot:
- choose their own dental practitioner and
- receive the same rebate as every other member of that health fund.
It’s important to consider that ‘for-profit’ health funds have high administrative costs and shareholders that must be kept happy. Their business model is designed to generate sufficient income to cover those costs and make a profit. When choosing a health fund, it is worth considering its business structure.
Our philosophy is to deliver the highest quality dental care to our patients. This takes:
- time
- state-of-the-art dental materials and equipment
- attention to current infection control procedures
- adequate staffing to care for our patients and
- continual professional development.
With all this in mind, we have determined that the limitations imposed by a partnership with one or more for-profit health funds would make it impossible for us to deliver the level of care we wish to provide to our valued patients.
Fair Health Care Alliance
Fair Health Care Alliance is an Australian-based private health insurance comparison company backed by the Australian Dental Association.
They offer a free health fund comparison service to help you find the most suitable policy for your healthcare needs and find insurers who generally pay fairly for services, regardless of which health practitioner you see (unlike preferred provider schemes).
For more information about this service, visit the Fair Health Care Alliance website or call 1300 955 691.
