Tuesday, January 24, 2023: Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund HCF today announced two new multi-year agreements with leading private health care providers Healthe Care and Adventist HealthCare Limited (AHCL), along with an expansion of the services and benefits provided by long-term partner Ramsay Health Care all of which bolster choice in health care for HCF members.

The Healthe Care agreement demonstrates HCF’s commitment to innovation and providing increased options for its members. It extends the strategic partnership for the long-term, continuing access for HCF members to 17 facilities in regional NSW, Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania including about 1,200 hospital beds and 70 operating theatres.

The new long-term agreement with the not-for-profit Sydney Adventist Hospital, operated by AHCL extends the strategic partnership by continuing to give members on the North Shore and surrounding areas access to one of Australia’s most loved and longest-running private facilities with more than 700 beds.

Building on the ground-breaking five-year collaboration agreed last year with Australia’s largest private hospital provider, Ramsay Health Care, HCF members will now have even more access to a greater range of services and savings. The Ramsay Connect program will make it possible for more members to recover post-surgery in the comfort of their own homes.

This involves multidisciplinary home-based or remotely delivered care for patients transitioning home after a hospital stay or requiring additional support after treatment. These services will improve affordability and enable members to recover in a familiar environment.

HCF members will also receive a five percent discount on select purchases at all Ramsay and Malouf pharmacies when signing up to the Ramsay Pharmacy Better Rewards program.

HCF Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Sheena Jack said the collaborative and innovative partnerships with all three service providers would support the growth of all organisations involved by delivering long-term benefits to HCF members while also strengthening the sustainability of the private health care system in general.

“This is a big boost for our 1.8 million members and highlights our commitment to ensuring we provide them with access to the best services available by extending partnerships with private health care providers such as Sydney Adventist Hospital and HealtheCare hospitals,” Ms Jack said.

“By continuing access to these high-end facilities while adding a number of new services available to members at home during their treatment or while in recovery through Ramsay Health Care is an exciting prospect.”

AHCL Chief Executive Officer, Brett Goods said he was very pleased to have collaborated with HCF to continue the strategic partnership for another five years and was certain that it would achieve significant benefits for HCF members and AHCL patients.

“Our strategic partnership has already achieved significant success and demonstrates our willingness to innovate. We’re looking forward to working with HCF to provide affordable access to excellent private health care for our patients. Our five-year agreement acknowledges the increased costs hospitals are facing and commits to explore further initiatives that will help to achieve affordability, better care and great outcomes for patients,” Mr Goods said.

Healthe Care Chair, Ben Thynne said Healthe Care was proud to have strong relationships with its doctors, staff, suppliers and local communities.

“By working closely with funders like HCF over time we’re able to secure sustainable agreements as the industry tackles the many challenges that lie ahead, such as workforce shortages, and reforms to the private health sector in areas such as prostheses,” Mr Thynne said.

“The private health sector offers a highly valued choice for consumers and close partnerships with funders like HCF provide us with the opportunity to create more value for patients through new models of care, initiatives like gap-free orthopaedic surgery and more seamless transition to services like rehabilitation in the home."

Ramsay Pharmacy CEO, Greg Kennedy said Ramsay was, “committed to making quality health care more accessible and affordable for Australians and the new pharmacy discount program offers an opportunity for HCF members to access exclusive promotions and events, free samples and earn points towards cash rewards.”

“Creating these long-term partnerships provides benefits for all parties. Together we can focus on affordability and innovating new and exciting services for our members,” Ms Jack said.

HCF media contact: Scott McIntyre 0491 272 601
Ramsay Health Care media contact: Emily Fardoulyse 0455 066 764
Sydney Adventist Hospital media contact: Katherine Filippi 0457 524 924
Healthe Care media contact: Haydn Murray 0448 612 205