4 October 2016 - Australian health insurance funds spent $13.5 million over the past year on a heart pacemaker installed in about 250 patients because the country pays the highest price in the world for that device, produced by US giant Medtronic.

Queenslander John Winsbury is thankful his health fund, Defence Health, picked up the $88,500 bill for his surgery to have a pacemaker and defibrillator installed but is outraged the cost is factored into rising premiums.

Mr Winsbury, a retiree who was previously a member of the army reserves, said it concerned him that the government was not doing enough to force down the costs of devices.

“They are letting us down in a big way ... they only look after who is directing them, which is the big companies, big investors or the unions. We are the pawns in the whole thing.”

Read The Australian article