Description of Conduct
On 16 February 2023, Health Partners Ltd (Health Partners), a private health insurer based in South Australia, applied to the ACCC seeking authorisation to enter into and give effect to certain pricing arrangement provisions in agreements with dentists and partner dental practices which will form part of its partner network of dental practices in regional South Australia (Partner Practices).
Health Partners currently operates 4 dental practices in the Adelaide metropolitan area and has sought authorisation to address what it describes as ‘the potential risk that the partner practices could be considered to be in competition with its existing practices.’
The agreements will include certain provisions which would require the Partner Practices to:
- Place a cap on the maximum price charged for routine dental services provided to members (Capped Services), and
- Ensure for all services rendered to Members that Members are charged at a price no higher than the Partner Practice’s usual fee schedule for other patients.
Authorisation was sought for a period of 10 years.
On 10 August 2023, the ACCC issued a final determination granting authorisation for a period of 5 years, until 1 September 2028.
The copy of the ACCC’s final determination is below.
Applicant(s)
- HEALTH PARTNERS LIMITED
Applications
| Document title | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Application |
Decisions
| Document title | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Final Determination | ||
| Draft Determination and Interim Authorisation Decision |
Consultations
ACCC correspondence
| Document title | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| ACCC to Interested Parties re Final Determination |
Submissions - before draft decision
Submissions - after draft decision
| Document title | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant – Response to the ADA’s submission | ||
| Australian Dental Association |