4 March 2017 - State governments are actively encouraging public hospitals to bill health insurers for their ­members’ treatment, driving up premiums and threatening the stability of Australia’s two-tier health system.

The states have become so ­dependent on revenue from ­insurance payments there are concerns that public hospitals will prioritise insured patients, blowing out waiting lists.

Reports have emerged of members being offered free meals and parking for their family members if they bill their insurer, or being told they will be helping hospitals to buy new equipment or fund medical research.

Read The Australian article