Health insurance numbers ease considerably
HFANZ executive director Roger Styles said 1.38 million New Zealanders now had health insurance, or 31.6% of the population.
Styles said the reduction in lives covered over the full September 2010 year was 8200, or 0.6%. More than half of those policies, 4700, were lost in the September quarter this year.
Coverage had been dropping since December 2008, which he put down to continued lower employment levels affecting the membership of group health insurance schemes at workplaces. Loss of coverage was most noticeable in the 30-59 age group.
"The reduction in coverage also reflects a price response, as continued claims cost growth has put upward pressure on premiums over recent years, most notably for older age groups," Styles said.
Click the button below to subscribe and will have free unlimited access for a limited time to full article and all other articles on the site.
You will also be able to comment on articles on Good Returns.