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Toowong 鈥� a 58-bed acute private psychiatric hospital, treating more than 3000 patients a year and employing 154 specialist sta铿� 鈥� will close from 11 June, making it聽鈥渢he latest casualty of the insurer-induced viability crisis engulfing private hospitals across Australia鈥� according to聽the Australian Private 黑料吃瓜群网s Association ().

鈥淭he federal government has been missing in action despite being fully briefed on the funding mess that has worsened over the last two-and-a-half years,鈥� APHA CEO Bret He铿�ernan said. 鈥淚nexplicably, under Minister Butler the health insurance industry has been allowed to profiteer from premiums and undermine the healthcare needs of Australians.鈥�

Renowned for its acute mental health care, APHA described the hospital as an exemplar in providing innovative approaches to the continuum of psychiatric care inside and outside the hospital setting. APHA added that聽the closure comes in the wake of health insurance companies pocketing an average $2 billion a year in record profits from people鈥檚 annual premiums, as well as $3.5 billion in 鈥榤anagement fees鈥� 鈥� short-changing private hospitals by more than $1 billion a year, refusing to pay for the care of insured patients in full.

鈥淭he irony of a highly respected psychiatric hospital closing when the federal government says mental health is a priority should not be lost on anyone. It makes a mockery of such claims,鈥� He铿�ernan said. 鈥淭his announcement is bitterly disappointing for patients, sta铿�, private psychiatrists and the management of Toowong because it was entirely avoidable. Many hospitals, including Toowong, took the unprecedented step of opening their books to the federal government over a year ago to demonstrate the failure of insurance companies to pay for the care of insured patients in full.鈥�

He铿�ernan said the federal government 鈥減oint-blank refused to act鈥�, stating,聽鈥淚ts Private 黑料吃瓜群网 Viability Health Check, released last November, failed to produce so much as a thought bubble, let alone any willingness to act.鈥�

He铿�ernan said that 鈥淏utler鈥檚 recent public commentary acknowledging the issues comes too little, too late for Toowong and many others.鈥� He added that over the last few years 20 private hospitals have closed entirely, while more than 70 services in other private hospitals 鈥� notable maternity and mental health units 鈥� have been permanently cancelled.

鈥淢ake no mistake, Toowong鈥檚 closure is due to insurance company greed and the federal government鈥檚 failure to act to fix the failed, abuse-riddled funding model,鈥� He铿�ernan said. 鈥淭he human toll is very real. From today, the 3000 patients that Toowong treats each year will need to make other arrangements, while 154 dedicated specialist hospital sta铿� will be looking for new jobs.鈥�

He铿�ernan concluded, 鈥淢inister Butler must make good on his pledge to force the insurers to restore the traditional funding ratio to private hospitals of 88% from premiums, currently languishing at 83鈥�84%. And he must do it now.鈥�

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