Draft:Members Health Fund Alliance

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  • Comment: You need to remove all external links from the body text as well as from that long (and unnecessary) 'Media' section. Convert these to citations, where relevant. There cannot be any links pointing to external resources until the footnotes (which don't yet exist, but hopefully will soon, per my previous comment) in the 'References' section. DoubleGrazing (talk) 08:30, 12 September 2025 (UTC)
  • Comment: The sources listed under 'References' appear to be all primary. Primary sources do not establish notability per WP:ORG. We need to see what reliable and independent secondary sources have said about this outfit.
    It would be much preferred if you could cite the sources inline next to the information they support, that way it would be a whole lot easier to see which source has provided what content and how much of this might remain unsupported. Please see WP:REFB for advice. DoubleGrazing (talk) 08:29, 12 September 2025 (UTC)
  • Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Mkoce (talk) 08:09, 12 September 2025 (UTC)


Members Health Fund Alliance

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Members Health Fund Alliance (Members Health)[1] is an independent association for Australian health insurance funds that are not for profit or part of a member owned group. All Members Health funds operate under a not-for-profit, mutual structure.[2] [3]

Members Health is not a government authority that regulates or certifies health insurance funds, a shared responsibility which lies with the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA)[4], Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care (DoHAC)[5] and the Commonwealth Ombudsman[6]. Members Health is headquartered in Surrey Hills, Victoria.

Members Health’s vision is to be a credible, trusted, unified and influential voice for health insurance funds that are not for profit or part of a member-owned group. Members Health advocates to promote the interests of not for profit and member owned health insurance funds, their members and patient care.[7] As at June 2025, 24 registered health funds or 80% of all insurers were represented by Members Health. Members Health funds enjoy a combined market share of over 35%, cover over 5.4 million Australians, pay-out over $8.8 billion PA in benefits[8] and provide direct employment to approximately 85,580 Australians (including in rural and regional areas).[9]

Members Health funds

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As of June 2025, the health insurance brands affiliated with the Members Health were:

  • ACA Health
  • Australian Unity
  • CBHS Health Fund
  • Defence Health
  • Doctors’ Health
  • Emergency Services Health
  • HBF
  • HCF
  • HCi
  • Health Insurance Fund
  • Health Partners
  • Hunter Health Insurance
  • Latrobe Health Services
  • Mildura Health Fund
  • Navy Health
  • Nurses & Midwives Health
  • Peoplecare Health Insurance
  • Phoenix Health Fund
  • Police Health
  • Queensland Country Health
  • Reserve Bank Health Society
  • RT Health
  • St Lukes
  • Teachers Health
  • TUH
  • Union Health
  • Westfund

History

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Members Health originated out of the Health Insurance Restricted Members Association of Australia (hirmaa), which was formed in 1978.[10] Originally established as the peak body exclusively for restricted access insurers, hirmma later expanded its membership to include all not for profit and member owned health insurance funds.

In 2017 hirmaa changed its name to Members Health Fund Alliance to better reflect its broadened membership base.[11]

In 2019 Members Own Health Funds (an advertising body)[12] joined Members Health and the role of promoting consumer awareness of the not for profit and member owned health insurance industry fell to Members Health.[13]

Members Health advertising campaigns

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Members Health manages collective projects on behalf of its member funds, including research, policy development, professional development and education, data and statistics, government relations and advocacy - as well as coordinating the Members Health joint marketing campaign. The campaign has run since early 2015,[14][15] reaching millions of Australians each year.

Media and advocacy

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Members Health is a regular contributor to news media on private health insurance and has featured in a number of opinion pieces.

Advocacy for competitive neutrality

Members Health was pushed onto the front page of the media by APRA Member Geoff Summerhayes. Speaking at a Members Health Conference on 4 February 2020[16], Mr Summerhayes controversially made claims suggesting there could be only three sustainable health insurers by 2022.[17][18][19] [20] . Mr Summerhayes left APRA later that year.

Private hospital viability
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Members Health has helped shape policy debate on the recent subject of private hospital viability, appearing in high profile national opinion pieces.[21]

Prostheses Advocacy
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Members Health has taken a lead role on prostheses reform for health insurers, appearing in a number of advocacy related national media articles.[22] [23] [24] [25] It was a participant on the the Australian Government's Industry Working Group for Prostheses Reform.[26] Members Health was also appointed to the Australian Government's Private Health Insurance Ministerial Advisory Committee.[27] Members Health was able to help shape policy reform by identifying and prosecuting in the media and with Government that privately insured patients were paying up to $1 billion dollars more for prostheses in private hospitals than in public hospitals.[28] It was also able to identify large variations in the price of prostheses in Australia when compared to overseas.[29] Reforms on prostheses regulation have been achieved and this remains an area of ongoing focus for Members Health.

References:

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References

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  1. ^ "Members Health". Members Health. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  2. ^ "Private Health Insurers Guide: What is the Members Health Fund Alliance?". healthslips.com.au Pty Ltd. Reviewed and updated 22 July 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Ross Hunter, Gary (13 May 2025). "Health Insurance: Members Health Fund Alliance". finder.com.au. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Welcome to APRA | APRA". www.apra.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  5. ^ "About private health insurance". 13 March 2025.
  6. ^ Ombudsman, Commonwealth (2023-01-16). "Private Health Insurance complaints". www.ombudsman.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  7. ^ "Aligning with member-focused health funds | Doctors' Health Fund". www.doctorshealthfund.com.au. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  8. ^ "Annual private health insurance statistics | APRA". www.apra.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  9. ^ "The Economic and Social Impact of the Members Health Funds of Australia". Members Health Fund Alliance. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  10. ^ Ron, Wilson (May 2009). "hirmaa - Productivity Commission Submission: Contribution of the not for profit sector" (PDF). Productivity Commission.
  11. ^ "ABN History, hirmaa / Members Health Fund Alliance".
  12. ^ "Members Own Health Funds launches national TV and digital campaign via The Shannon Company". Campaign Brief. 2015-02-02. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  13. ^ Funds, Members Own Health. "Find a Members Own Health Fund - Members Own". Members Own Health Funds. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  14. ^ "Members Health aligns with industry super funds in battle against for-profit health insurers in new spot via The Shannon Company". Campaign Brief. 2019-11-07. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  15. ^ "Members Health Fund Alliance launches new campaign via Shannon Behaviour Change". Campaign Brief. 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  16. ^ "APRA Member Geoff Summerhayes - Speech to the Members Health Directors Professional Development Program | APRA". www.apra.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  17. ^ FernyhoughReporter, James (2020-02-05). "'Inflammatory' APRA is ignorant, say insurers". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  18. ^ FernyhoughReporter, James (2020-02-07). "Health insurers demand regulator be sacked". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  19. ^ Daniel, Dana (2020-02-04). "Most private health insurers won't be viable by 2022 without overhaul, APRA warns". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  20. ^ FernyhoughReporter, James (2020-02-04). "Big health funds could be the last standing, APRA warns". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  21. ^ representative, Matthew KoceHealth fund (2024-06-17). "The bottom line is private hospitals are evolving, not collapsing". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  22. ^ Reporter, Fleur AndersonSenior (2017-03-16). "Australia known as 'Treasure Island' by health giants". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  23. ^ Koce, Matthew (16 May 2025). "https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8965882/australias-costly-prostheses-mean-its-time-for-reform/". Canberra Times. {{cite news}}: External link in |title= (help)
  24. ^ Dunlevy, Sue (10 September 2015). "The scam that's adding $100 a year to your health fund premiums". Adelaide Advertiser. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  25. ^ "Call for inquiry into medical devices". SBS News. 2017-07-05. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  26. ^ "Australian Government Department of Health, Disability & Ageing: Industry Working Group on Private Health Insurance Prostheses Reform". 19 October 2016.
  27. ^ "Private Health Ministerial Advisory Committee". Australian Government Department of Health, Disability & Ageing: Private Health Ministerial Advisory Committee. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  28. ^ Jensen, Nicholas (29 July 2021). "Private insurers say prosthesis price gouging must end". The Australian Newspaper.
  29. ^ Trinca, Helen (13 June 2025). "Private hospitals, insurers want freedom to negotiate price of implants". The Australian Newspaper. Retrieved 13 September 2025.