Australia’s health system is complex, fragmented and filled with vested interests as demonstrated by the volume of recent media. If there is a unifying cry amongst those clamouring to be heard it is this: the current system is unsustainable.

Is this true? If so, what does that mean for the future of healthcare in Australia?

At the Future of Healthcare Seminar held on 9 June 2016, these issues and more were discussed: 

• Associate Professor James Gillespie spoke on the challenges facing government and institutions in the business of health.
• Case studies demonstrating what private health insurers are doing today to improve the future health of their policyholders were presented.
• Improving the sustainability of Australia’s healthcare system and how actuaries are informing the debate was discussed; and
• Graeme Samuel reflected on what can be done to improve the value proposition of health insurance.

With six Government reviews into Health now underway, healthcare and healthcare funding is clearly high on the priority list of both State and Federal Government.