Private hospitals want $1.3 billion taxpayer bailout or patients to pay $200 fee for every admission
Hospitals allege health insurers are not paying them enough.
Private hospitals warn facilities will close unless the Federal Government hands over a bailout of $1.3 billion, or allow them to charge patients up to $200 extra per admission.
In another escalation of the crisis, the Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) says the cash injection is urgently needed to cover a “critical shortfall” in funds they receive from private health insurers.
It has called for taxpayer-funded assistance of between $450 million and $650 million a year over two years.
The industry body alleges that health insurers have underpaid private hospitals to the tune of $3 billion.
