The ACCC has issued a determination granting authorisation to Private Healthcare Australia Limited (PHA), its members, and Members Health Fund Alliance and its members (the Participating Parties) to make, and give effect to, arrangements, and to discuss and share information with each other in relation to private health insurance coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ACCC may grant authorisation which provides businesses with legal protection for arrangements that may otherwise risk breaking competition law but are not harmful to competition and/or are likely to result in overall public benefit. The ACCC considers that maintaining competition in the long term will be critical to benefit both consumers and the economy.
The ACCC considers that cooperation between the Participating Parties is likely to deliver public benefit by providing greater certainty for policyholders during the COVID-19 pandemic through a consistent response and industry-wide communications, and by enabling PHA to engage with the health industry on behalf of the Participating Parties to broaden insurance coverage.
The ACCC has decided to grant authorisation until 31 March 2021. Authorisation is subject to conditions that allow the ACCC to monitor the authorised conduct.
Further information about the ACCC’s draft determination is available on the ACCC’s public register at: Private Healthcare Australia Limited.