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Catching the flu:
why it's preventable

An estimated three million Australians are expected to catch the flu this year and doctors warn too many of us mistakenly think it's a disease of the elderly, despite 25 percent of deaths aged 65 and under. Now, a new and dangerous strain of flu is likely to arrive from the United States this winter, which is further cause for concern.

Twenty-five percent more Australians die from the flu and pneumonia each year than are killed in car accidents. According to Professor Bill Rawlinson, many of these deaths are preventable through vaccination.

"Given that every year there's something like 1000 to 2000 Australians who die, the majority of which would be preventable by vaccination against flu, then every year we say, it's important to get vaccinated," he said.
Flu droplets travel far and fast, with children known to be major contributors to the spread the disease, taking it from flu hotbeds in kindergartens and schools to adults at home.

Influenza spreads quickly and can infect hundreds of people in just hours through exposure in crowded areas such as theatres or public transport.
Flu shots are recommended for everyone aged over 65, but also for the under 65s who can develop complications from flu if they have heart, asthma or other lung conditions, diabetes, kidney problems, weakened immune systems, or are residents of nursing homes.

"Australian doctors are expecting the same type of severe flu outbreak that arrived early in the northern hemisphere's past winter and they're urging people here to have their shots in the next four weeks, to build up immunity," said Professor Rawlinson.

Known as the Fujian strain, it caught Americans unawares and Australians who are vaccinated will be protected. "We have fortunately been able to incorporate it into our vaccine for this coming winter," said Alan Hampson, WHO Influenza Centre.

Fast facts
Why is a flu vaccination essential?
· A new vaccine is made every year to ensure that Australians are given the best possible protection - the vaccine protects people against three strains of influenza which the World Health Organization (WHO) identifies as the most likely to cause outbreaks for that season.

· No vaccine is 100 percent effective; however influenza vaccine is very effective in protecting against the severe consequences of infection. Studies have convincingly shown it greatly reduces the cases of pneumonia, hospitalisation due to respiratory illness and the total deaths occurring during an influenza season.

· Australia has had some great success in vaccinating people 65 years and over, with 76.9 percent of this age becoming vaccinated in 2003. However, it is estimated that only 20 percent of the entire population annually receive immunisation.

· For most parts of Australia influenza vaccination is best carried out before May, when serious outbreaks can begin to occur. The majority of people will become infected between July-September.

· In the far north of Australia influenza outbreaks can occur early in the year and vaccination should be practiced as early as possible.

· Many people who should be vaccinated are not, because they believe being fit and healthy will protect them against influenza. This is not the case.What can you do if you catch influenza

· If you think you are getting influenza it's important that you see your GP immediately.

· There are antiviral medications available on prescription which can help limit the effect of influenza if they are taken early after the onset of symptoms (within the first two days of the illness).

· The availability of treatments does not lessen the need for people to still get vaccinated - it is important that all those in risk-groups, as well as others who can't afford to get influenza, get vaccinated every year as their first line of defence.Source:

National Nine News 23/03/04
A special thank you to National Nine News for this very important article!

 

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Asthma control:
how sufferers can breathe easier

A major new study has found most asthmatics are hopelessly mismanaging their treatment but doctors say they can breathe easier if they learn to deal with their condition more effectively.

The findings of the first Australia-wide survey, asking adults with asthma to record how often they suffer symptoms and take medication, reveal that less than a quarter of asthma sufferers have their condition under control.

"People with asthma are still putting up with a lot of symptoms, still waking at night with their asthma and still needing lots of puffers through the day," said asthma specialist Dr Craig Mellis.

Here's what the survey concluded in brief:

· Two-thirds of adults with asthma experience asthma symptoms in a typical week;

· 38 percent of adults use their reliever medication more than three times in a typical week;

· 22 percent of adults with asthma woke at night in the month prior to the survey;

· 29 percent experienced asthma during exercise in the month prior to the survey;

· 17 percent made an emergency visit to the GP in the past 12 months;

· 78 percent of Australian adults perceived their asthma as being well controlled, but only a minority met all the criteria for total control.

According to Dr Mellis, patients on very good control shouldn't need their puffers from one week to the next. But asthmatics like John Santangelo, who has suffered with asthma since a teenager, still use Ventolin, a reliever medication, twice a day. "I've experienced fast heartbeats taking too much reliever," said Mr Santangelo.

Doctors say they're disappointed with these results because with today's improved medications, there's no reason why any patient shouldn't be able to control their asthma and therefore have a much better quality of life.
However, what they do need regularly is preventer medication which reduces inflammation in the lungs. "There really should be more education out in the community, perhaps more in chemists," said Mr Santangelo.

Dr Mellis believes asthmas patients can really expect better relief.
"The current medications are vastly improved, they're safe, they're extremely effective and we now know that from big studies you can get total control with virtually every patient with severe asthma," he said.
Source: National Nine News Mon 22 Mar 2004
A special thank you to National Nine News for this important article!

 

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Scientists develop new asthma test

A simple test to help diagnose and manage asthma has been developed by a team of researchers from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA).

Asthma is one of Australia's most common diseases and affects one in four children and one in 10 adults. But, unlike other chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, there has been no simple test to diagnose asthma using a reliable measurement.

Doctors over the last 10 years have used old exercise machines to induce asthma attacks to measure lung function.

But now after 30 years of investigation, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital researcher Dr Sandy Anderson has developed the simplest but most precise test in the world.

The test involves inhaling mannitol powder and takes around 15 minutes to perform. Patients inhale the mannitol - a specifically formulated plant sugar - and this mimics the allergic reaction that causes a person's airways to narrow in an asthma attack.

Scientists at RPA's Department of Respiratory Medicine are inviting people with symptoms of asthma, aged between eight and 65 years to take part in trials of the test which allows doctors to more accurately diagnose the severity of the disease and measure how well existing medications are controlling a patient's symptoms.

RPA principal hospital scientist Dr Sandra Anderson said she hopes the test will help physicians accurately diagnose asthma and match the dose of their medication to the severity of their asthma.

People wishing to volunteer for the trial can do so by calling
(02) 9515 6121 or registering their details via e-mail on asthmatrial@email.cs.nsw.gov.au

The 13 hospitals participating include:
· Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
· Concord Hospital
· Gosford Hosp
· The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne
· Canberra Hospital
· Royal North Shore hospital
· Sydney Children's Hospital.
· The Children's Hospital,Westmead
· Westmead Adult Hospital
· John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle
· Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
· Prince Charles Hospital Brisbane
· Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane

Source: National Nine News Wed 10 Mar 2004


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Rotary joins forces in struggle against cancer

Bowel cancer, which should be one of the easiest cancers to treat if detected early, is claiming 5000 Australian lives a year - which is more than breast or prostate cancer. More than 11,000 new cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed in Australia each year.

A University of Newcastle based researcher has warned of a growing cancer risk as the Australian population ages and is encouraging Australians over the age of 40 to consider having a regular check for the early signs of bowel cancer.

While health authorities are still trying to decide on the value of a national screening program, there is proof that cancer detection kits from a pharmacy can save your life.

A month-long Rotary Bowelscan campaign, beginning March 6, helped Australians protect themselves through test kits on sale at participating pharmacies across New South Wales.

"The Bowelscan program saved both my husband's life and my life and I am very grateful," says Renee Littlewood who lives in the NSW Central Coast town of Gosford.

Hubert Littlewood was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1997 after his Bowelscan test returned a positive result. Three years later, Renee was found to have pre-cancerous polyps following a Bowelscan test.
Both Hubert and Renee were treated successfully.

Since the late 1980s, Rotary Bowelscan tests have led to the detection of more than a thousand cancers and 4000 pre-cancerous polyps throughout Australia, according to a long-time co-ordinator of the project, Central Coast-based Walter Leijten.

The Rotary Bowelscan kits sell for only $8 and include testing by an accredited pathology laboratory and notification of all results by the Rotary Bowelscan Medical Coordinator. Strict confidentiality is maintained.
"Early detection leads to an improved prognosis and less severe treatment," added Dr Veysey.

While tens of thousands of Bowelscan kits are sold each year, Rotary says it is concerned about a reluctance amongst a large number of Australians of non-English speaking backgrounds to undertake the simple but potentially lifesaving test.

"We accept that bowel cancer has largely been a disease of the western world but lifestyle and eating habits are changing throughout the Australian community and as a result, everyone is now at risk," said Walter Leijten.

Source: National Nine News Tue 9 Mar 2004



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New treatment for life-threatening
lung disease

A breakthrough drug, which could save hundreds of people from needing a heart-lung transplant, has been made freely available in Australia under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). According to doctors, patients eligible for the treatment are lining up in hospital clinics waiting for their first script in the hope it could completely reverse their rare, terminal condition.

The PBS listing of the drug Tracleer is a significant breakthrough for sufferers of the life-threatening lung disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The Department of Health and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) have approved Tracleer for two of the most common forms of this disease, both primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) secondary to scleroderma.

For Katie Fitzgerald, who participated in five sports, the sudden onset of breathlessness and chest pain led to six months of tests before she was finally diagnosed with PAH, by which time she was almost bedridden.

According to Professor Anne Keogh from St Vincent's Hospital, there's a 50 percent chance sufferers could be dead in two years. Katie, however, was lucky to go on a trial of Tracleer, the only drug ever developed for the condition, and she resumed both her sport and university studies. But then health authorities rejected a proposal to fund the medication.

"Yeah, I was really angry, and frightened in a way," she said. "I didn't know what I was going to do once they took it away."

Upset that hers, and other lives, depended on a faceless committee, she wrote to the government. From March 1, 2004, Tracleer is on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and hundreds will have access to the treatment which doctors say could reverse their disease within two to three years.

"Yes, it's fantastic news for these patients, it's a real breakthrough," said Professor Keogh.

In Australia, there are an estimated 300 to 400 people suffering from these forms of PAH in any one year. Without specific treatment like Tracleer, up to 100 of these patients would have died each year.

Previously, the only hope for people facing this fatal condition was a heart-lung transplant. The new treatment means most won't need surgery, which is going to ease pressure on transplant waiting lists.

Tracleer has been acknowledged by medical experts around the world as the first therapy to become available in a totally-new class of medicines which focuses on the activity of a natural hormone-like substance called endothelin.

Source: National Nine News
A special thank you to National Nine News for this very important and informative article.

 

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INCREASE IN PRIVATE HEALTH FUNDS

You will find below a copy of an e-mail received from Mr Russell Schneider, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Health Insurance Association explaining the reasons for increases in Private Health Insurance.

Often the media generally don't report all the facts and seem intent on a headline rather than the full story. We have placed Mr Schneider's e-mail here for all to see because we feel, that maybe you, like us have been thinking why are fees going up yet again?

No doubt you all realise medicine has become much more sophisticated over recent years with more and more people having lifesaving operations and more and more amazing medical procedures being carried out. This all costs money and in some cases many thousands of dollars.

During the last twelve months two of our staff required urgent medical attention. One with a massive heart attack which required, stents followed by quadruple by-pass surgery. The second a suspected heart attack followed by a pacemaker insertion. They both said, thank goodness for private health insurance! Yes there was a gap but this pales into insignificance when ones life is saved.

Like all good businesses outlays etc. have to all be covered and not being like ordinary businesses health funds have to operate under strict guidelines and report to the Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC).

Please read Mr Sneider's e-mail below and I feel sure that when you do, you like me, will soon come to realise why there must be increases in some cases to premiums if we are to be guaranteed continual cover.

Mr Sneiders e-mail:-"Unlike most other business organisations, health funds can’t change their prices whenever they like. They are, however, required to review their price at the start of each year and make adjustments according to increases in the cost of health services and the number of services used (utilisation). The new rates usually take place in April and are announced about a month earlier. At that time the media report the percentage “average” increase, but this is not necessarily the change that affects individual members. Because it is an “average” there are inevitably some increases above what the media report and some below. In the next few weeks, your fund will tell you whether your rates have increased, and the exact amount of any change.Your health fund is subject to ongoing financial review by the industry regulator, the Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC). Each quarter funds have to report their financial position, including contribution income, benefits paid, and the amount they hold in reserve. This reserve amount is necessary to meet claims for treatment that has been provided but not yet claimed, for unexpected high claims and to generally ensure the fund can meet its commitments in the future. PHIAC can (and does) make spot audits to ensure this reporting is accurate. All of this is intended to protect contributors by making sure their fund is financially viable…i.e., able to pay all its expected claims.As well as this ongoing assessment of their financial position, health funds are required to do a very detailed review of their costs each year. This involves looking at where costs have increased and why, as well as detecting trends that are occurring in the health delivery system. For example, a new technology may have been introduced which was slow to be used at first but became more widespread as doctors became more familiar with it. One good example is the stent: this is a procedure which deals with blocked arteries in the heart. A small metal tube, about the thickness of a paper clip and about 1.5 centimetres long, is inserted in the big artery in the groin and passed through the blood vessels into the heart, where it is used to hold the blood vessel open. This is a life saving procedure, but only began to be introduced in the 1990’s. In 1993/94 there were only 107 stent operations. This year I expect funds will pay for more than 17,000. In 1997/98 the cost of the procedure was about $9500. But with improvements in technology and the development of new forms of stent the cost now averages $13,000, and in many cases can be around $27,000.That is just one example. There are many more, as health technology continues to introduce new treatments and private hospitals invest in more sophisticated equipment. A pacemaker, for example, can now cost more than $40,000 just for the device, not counting the medical fees and hospital charges associated with the operation.Once the fund management has assessed these costs it has to provide the Federal Health Department with a detailed report on the benefits paid from each of the insurance tables or products that it offers, together with a detailed spending budget for the year ahead.This report has to be reviewed and confirmed by an actuary.The fund also has to provide enormous detail about its financial position over the previous year and the year ahead. This report is checked by both the Department of Health and the regulator, PHIAC. Both agencies ensure the data provided is accurate, and PHIAC does a further check to ensure that can be confident the Fund’s financial position will remain solvent for the year ahead. Indeed, if PHIAC believes a fund’s proposed price isn’t enough to guarantee it can meet its claims it can order the fund to set a higher price!All of this process is intended to make sure that any price rise is no more than is absolutely necessary to meet the claims on the fund while ensuring the Fund does not go broke.You may be interested in some broad industry figures which we have just received and show what happened in 2003.In that time health funds paid out more than $7 billion in claims. This included:$5.1 billion in total hospital benefits - an increase of 9.2 percent.
“Prostheses” - implanted medical devices such as artificial hips, knee joints, stents, pacemakers and so on - cost $606 million: an annual increase of 28.2 percent.
Medical “gap” payments to doctors cost $737 million - an increase of 10.6 percent.
$1.9 billion in benefits for treatment and services provided by dentists, physiotherapists, opticians, pharmacists, chiropractors, and various other allied health providers.
These total increases result from a combination of factors: the increased cost of the procedure itself, and increases in the number of treatments.One health fund reported to me that the cost of a hip replacement had gone up by 6.5 percent - to $17,700 - and the number of people who had their hip replaced increased by 12 percent.The cost of knee replacements rose to $15,700 - up 8 percent - and the number of people requiring such treatment rose by 17 percent!No one likes to see the price of anything go higher. But perhaps the above may make it easier for you to understand. If you’d like to know more, don’t hesitate to ask and we will try to find the answers.Finally, remember the 30 percent rebate applies to any increases in your contribution rates. This means that any increase in the cost to you will still be less than would have been the case without the rebate."
Yours sincerely
RUSSELL SCHNEIDER
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH INSURANCE ASSOCIATION
25.02.04

We thank Mr Sneider for his e-mail as well as his consent to publish these facts and comments on our site Doctors4U®. We feel sure it will help many to understand the true facts.
Manager
Doctors4U®
02.03.04

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30% REBATE UNDER THREAT
Some politicians are intent on doing away with the Federal Governments 30% rebate for persons with Private Health Insurance.

In our view this would be devastating to the the aged,the under priveleged and many others. We also feel that such a move would not only have a detrimental impact on the Community at large but many private health insurance funds. The result could be catastrophic!

Register now to try and save the 30% rebate. Click here

 

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BULK BILLING INCENTIVES
FROM 1 FEBRUARY

The Hon Tony Abbott MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
12 January 2004

The $935 million MedicarePlus bulk-billing incentive will take effect from 1 February.

This MedicarePlus measure means that every Commonwealth concession card holder and child under 16 who is bulk-billed will attract an additional $5 rebate - so GPs have more incentive to bulk-bill their patients especially concession card holders and children.

Any GP who is thinking of changing bulk-billing practices should think again in light of the new incentive payment.

This new Medical Benefit Schedule item does not need legislation and is not delayed in the Senate. The regulation making the new item was approved by the Executive Council on 4 December 2003 and gazetted on 11 December.

From 1 February, every bulk-billed GP service to concession card holders and children will attract an extra $5. For a standard bulk-billed consultation with a concession card holder or child under 16, GPs will receive $30.70 rather than $25.70. A typical GP will receive an extra $15,500 per year from this measure.

These payments will be made automatically.

As is the case now, GPs remain free to bulk bill anyone they choose - but this measure offers greater incentive for GPs to bulk bill

 

 

 

PM's health promise hit by rise
By Sid Maher
October 16, 2004

THE Australian Medical Association increased by $2 yesterday its recommended fee for the cost of a standard doctor's visit in a move that will erode much of the benefits of a $1.8 billion Howard Government election promise.

Less than a week after John Howard claimed a fourth election victory promising to help families with healthcare costs, Health Minister Tony Abbott's office has signalled that the Government will not object to the AMA's fee rise recommendation.

"The AMA's recommendation to doctors is the AMA's business," Mr Abbott's spokeswoman said last night. A cornerstone of the Coalition's health policy during the campaign was a $1.8 billion promise over four years to increase the Medicare rebate to 100 per cent of the scheduled fee - or a reduction in out-of-pocket expenses of about $4.50 for patients who visited doctors who did not bulk-bill. Labor health spokeswoman Julia Gillard said last night the rise confirmed fears that doctors lifting fees would wipe out the Government's increased subsidy.

The fee rise recommendation from the AMA comes on top of claims that the Medicare safety net is suffering a $715 million blowout in costs, amid fears some doctors are exploiting the scheme. The blowout sparked a warning from the Prime Minister on the eve of the election of a clampdown on medical specialists, such as obstetricians, whose fees have risen by 9 per cent since the safety net - which is designed to put a cap on family medical bills - was introduced in March. In its annual review of fees, released yesterday, the AMA recommended that a standard consultation of up to 19 minutes rise from $52 to $54.

But the Australian Consumers Association immediately attacked the recommendation for a fee rise as "shameless". ACA senior health policy officer Nicola Ballenden said she was disappointed that the Government's $1.8 billion package was already being eroded. "The doctors are taking with both hands," she said. "On the one hand they are taking from taxpayers, and on the other hand they are taking more from consumers." Ms Ballenden said the Coalition should have tied its $4.50 increase for a consultation to a promise from doctors to keep their rates down.

The fee rise recommendation, to take effect from November 1, will be partially offset by an increase in the Medicare scheduled fee - currently $30.20 - expected to take effect from the same date. It is tipped to be about 2.1 per cent, or about 65c. AMA president Bill Glasson defended the fee rise recommendation, arguing that it was line with the consumer price index and was not compulsory. Dr Glasson said most doctors charged much less than the AMA recommended fee.

Most patients were billed about $30 and this equated to a co-payment of between $2 and $5 for most people. Dr Glasson predicted out-of-pocket expenses for most patients would actually fall, given the increases in bulk-billing rates sparked by the Government's increased fee and the incentives to bulk-bill children under 16 and concession card holders. He said the schedule of fees was updated every October to coincide with the annual review of Medicare scheduled fees, which takes effect from November 1.

The fee recommendation was based on the AMA's investigations into average medical practice and income costs. The $2 rise to $54 is less than the $3.50 rise recommended last year, based on the higher costs of medical indemnities.

But Ms Gillard said the fee rise recommendation would lead to rising out-of-pocket expenses for patients. "This is exactly what we were predicting. There is no mechanism in the Government's policy to prevent doctors increasing their fees." Ms Gillard said fee increases would quickly eat away at the benefits Mr Howard had promised patients during the campaign. She said the combination of the Medicare safety net and the decision to pay doctors 100per cent of the scheduled Medicare fee would have an inflationary impact on medical costs.

A special thank you to The Australian for this report.

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