Australian Medical Association

The AMA is active in participating in and influencing the development of health reform policy.

This page provides a link to all AMA activities and information related to national health reform policy.

For a quick summary of health reform announcements agreed by the Council of Australian Governments in 2010 and the AMA’s views click here

To access AMA media releases on health reform, click here

Click the following links to access AMA health reform policy, position statements, submissions and relevent speeches.

For information and analysis on the 2010-11 Federal Budget, click here.

To view historical documents related to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, click here.

Relevant external links can be found here - the Department of Health and Ageing, the Council of Australian Governments, and the Parliament of Australia.

The AMA's submission to the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority on a pricing framework for public hospital services calls for hospital services to be funded on the basis of an 'effective' rather than an 'efficient' price. An effective price is one that provides sustainable and equitable access to high quality hospital services. The submission details the AMA's support for appropriate funding of post-hospital care; investment in teaching, training and research; and small and medium sized hospitals.

The AMA Budget Submission identifies areas where additional investment in health care and health infrastructure is needed and should be considered in the forthcoming Federal Budget.

The AMA does not suggest that the answer to every question is to spend more. We have identified areas where the Government can spend more effectively.

Federal AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, will this week attend a series of meetings with Queensland doctors to discuss the impact of national health reforms – including Medicare Locals, Local Hospital Networks, and GP Super Clinics – at the local level.

Federal AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, will visit Tasmania today and tomorrow, 20-21 September. 

Dr Hambleton will be in Hobart today to meet with the management of General Practice Tasmania (Medicare Local), tour Royal Hobart Hospital, attend a meeting of local doctors to discuss health reform and working conditions, and attend the AMA Tasmania Parliamentary Dinner, which will be attended by the Premier, the Hon Lara Giddings, and Health Minister, Michelle O’Byrne. 

Tomorrow he will travel to Launceston for a meeting with local GPs to discuss the impact of health reforms, including primary care issues around Medicare Locals and GP Super Clinics. 

Dr Hambleton is available for media interviews throughout his visit. 

AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that the creation of the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority would help to deliver greater transparency in public hospital funding.

The AMA submission on the National Health Reform Amendment (Independent Hospital Pricing Authority) Bill 2011 generally supports the proposed arrangements for the Authority, but recommends changes to strengthen and clarify the Authority’s functions and procedures.

The AMA's submission to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee on the National Health Reform Amendment (Independent Hospital Pricing Authority) Bill 2011 highlights the importance of the Pricing Authority, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and the National Health Performance Authority collaborating on their roles and responsibilities, for example, on data collection requirements.

It also points out that the Pricing Authority should consider the standards set by the Performance Authority when calculating the national 'efficient' price, that is, it must take into account the performance that must be achieved. In addition, the National Health Reform Agreement allows states to pay hospitals less than the determined efficient price, therefore, we recommend that the actual payments made to hospitals are reported to Parliament so that it is clear when poor performance is linked to insufficient funding.

Overall the Bill before Parliament responds to the AMA's lobbying last year to ensure the Pricing Authority considers the range of variables affecting the actual costs of providing health care services when calculating the national efficient price. However we recommend that the Authority is explicitly required to ensure hospitals can fulfil their teaching and research obligations.

The AMA submission to the Department of Health and Ageing on the draft Performance and Accountability Framework which will be used by the National Health Performance Authority urges the Government to undertake a proper consultation process on the performance indicators proposed in the Framework beyond the State and Territory governments.

Transcript: AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, with

                Hugh Riminton, Michelle Grattan and Steve Lewis

                Meet the Press, Channel Ten

                Sunday, 21 August 2011

Subject:    Asylum seekers; private health insurance; national health reform agreement

On 2 August 2011, the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments finalised the National Health Reform Agreement. A summary of the Agreement's key points can be found here.