What are The Changes to Minimum Benefits?

What are the changes to minimum benefits? Gemma: We've heard a lot about minimum benefits and changes that Bupa are bringing in around minimum benefits. What does that actually mean? And what are the changes? Dwayne: Well often customers thought they might be covered for some of these more complicated operations. So when they went in to a private hospital they'd get bill shock. I mean we'd pay 20% of the cost suddenly they'd be left with 80% of that private hospital payment. So it was a very unpleasant experience for our customers. And they gave us a pretty clear feedback you know, we are not really covered. So perhaps you should just be clearer with us. And so we've ended up doing what every other major fund of Australia has done. We're taking it out the share, because it simply doesn't provide much value to customers. And so our position for our Bupa members, will be the same as any other major health fund. Does this mean I'm no longer covered? Dwayne: Well they never really were covered. It means if you're on a budget hospital policy you were never really covered for a hip joint. I mean, that's the point of budget hospital. You pay a smaller amount, so you get all the basic medical surgical things, but you don't get really some of the really expensive operations.