Small rise in health insurance policies

The number of people with health insurance policies rose slightly in the June quarter, the Health Funds Association of New Zealand says.

The health insurance market grew by 700, or less than 0.1 percent, in the latest quarter, after dipping 0.2 percent in the March quarter.

For the year to June the number of people with health insurance rose 4500, or 0.3 percent. The total was 1.39 million or 32.3 percent of New Zealanders.

A trend away from comprehensive health insurance towards elective surgical and specialist cover continued, the association said.

Elective surgical and specialist cover now accounted for 910,700, or 65.3 percent, of those covered by health insurance.

Health insurance earned premiums rose 5 percent in the June year, from the previous year, to $846m.

The $725m in health insurance claims paid in the year was up $69m, or 10.5 percent, on the year before. In the June quarter $194m in claims were paid.

The rise in claims paid was due to increases in the number of claims and in the costs of treatment.

NZPA