Submission to DOH on Private Health Insurance reforms (second wave)

The APS welcomes the Department of Health consultation on Private Health Insurance (PHI) reforms. Our key recommendations include:

• The reforms should focus on wellbeing and preventing ill health, in addition to treating mental health disorders.
• We endorse an inclusive approach to increasing the age of dependents to encourage younger people, and those living with a disability, to maintain PHI.
• We welcome any opportunity to work with the DoH and PHIs to determine a set of evidence-based rehabilitation services offered by psychologists, which can feed into orthopaedic rehabilitation plans, and co-design certified training for psychologists who contribute to orthopaedic rehabilitation.
• We advocate for the expansion of the psychological workforce, to meet the growing need for community-based mental health services.
• We also recommend increasing the treatment and recovery options for those with a pre-existing mental health diagnosis, given the significant burden that poor mental health creates for these individuals, their families and local communities, as well as the government.

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