News

MDHF posts strongest growth since 2000

Tue, 19 Aug 2014 10:07:00

Mildura’s member-owned local health fund, Mildura District Hospital Fund, has posted its strongest growth figures in more than a decade.

The Mildura District Hospital Fund’s hospital memberships grew by 3.2 % for the financial year – the strongest yearly growth since the Government introduced lifetime health cover rules in 2000.
The fund now has more than 28,000 members and MDHF Chief Executive Officer Gerard Op de Coul said the growth for the past year was among the strongest for Australian hospital funds.
“Our 3.2 % rise in hospital memberships was well above the industry average of 2.26 %,” Mr Op de Coul said.
“It’s a great result for our fund and members and I think it shows people recognize MDHF is really focused on providing a quality service to the people of Mildura and the Murray Darling region.”
Mr Op de Coul said while hospital membership was the fund’s strongest growth area, there was also a 2.2 % increase in general treatment memberships.
“A lot of the growth we are experiencing is coming not only from new members, but people transferring from other funds,” he said.
“It’s a reflection of what’s happening across the industry. People are moving from large ‘for-profit’ organisations to small niche-type not-for-profits.
“For many people it’s just about economics.  If you compare our premiums to the three largest for-profit insurers, our families save around $1387 a year on comprehensive hospital cover.  That’s around $100 a month.  It is a significant amount in most families’ budgets.
“But it’s not just about cost.  Our customer satisfaction ratings are also among the highest in the country, so people are recognizing that we are not just lean and efficient, but that we provide great customer service.”
Mr Op de Coul said the performance of the MDHF was attracting new members from across Australia.
“We are a local fund – but our services are national, with more than 400 private hospitals on our list, so we are attracting members from outside the region as well, from as far away as Perth and Queensland,” he said.
Mr Op de Coul said Government rules ensured existing health fund members could transfer to MDHF without penalty.
“If you have an existing membership with another fund, and have served any required waiting periods, then there is no waiting period for coverage when you transfer,” he said.
“Member details can also be transferred electronically from one fund to another, so people are finding it is very easy to change.”