Health Archives - Page 2 of 12 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

6 September , 2024

“Stop dithering on older people’s rights” – Self-Advocates Urge MPs to Act Now on Aged Care Reform

Older people are urging a bipartisan approach from the Federal Government and Opposition to urgently introduce a new rights-based Aged Care Act. Organisations representing older Australians and their carers say the Aged Care Act needs to be introduced into Federal Parliament this sitting fortnight if laws are to be passed this year that address the…

26 July , 2024

TGA Consultation for Future Regulation of Assistive Technologies

The TGA is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the regulation of assistive technologies. The TGA is Australia’s government authority responsible for evaluating, assessing, and monitoring products that are defined as therapeutic goods including medicines, medical devices and biologicals to help Australians stay healthy and safe. The current provisions in the Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Determination…

4 June , 2024

Inquiry into Food Security in Victoria

On 29 November 2023, the Legislative Council agreed to the following motion: That this House requires the Legal and Social Issues Committee to inquire into, consider and report, by 14 November 2024, on the impacts and drivers of, and solutions for, food security in Victoria, including but not limited to —(1) the impact of food…

23 May , 2024

Consumer Representative Opportunity – Therapeutic Goods Administration

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is seeking applications from professionals with relevant expertise in medicine and science, and consumers with relevant expertise in consumer perspectives and issues. Successful applicants will contribute significantly towards the TGA’s regulatory functions by providing independent expert advice on matters across a broad spectrum of issues relating to medicines, medical…

19 April , 2024

The Price Is Not Right: ICAN’s Queensland Supermarket Submission

As a provider of education, advocacy, and financial counselling services to people across North and Far North Queensland, ICAN recently provided a submission to the Inquiry into Supermarket Pricing in Queensland. Our submission focused on the significant price differences people experience when shopping depending on whether they are based in metropolitan Queensland or remote and…

20 March , 2024

Cost to Teeth – Advocates Urge Action on Dental Cover

Almost four in ten Australians (37%) aged 55+ have delayed or completely put off going to the dentist in the past year due to cost, research released today by COTA Australia – the leading advocacy organisation for older Australians has found.

27 February , 2024

Federal Government Opens Consultation on Feasibility Study for Limiting Unhealthy Food Marketing to Children

The Federal Department of Health and Aged Care has engaged a project team led by the University of Wollongong to deliver a feasibility study on options to limit unhealthy food marketing to children. Recommendations will be provided to Government for consideration by mid-2024.

Information about the project and the consultation paper are available here and the closing date for comments is 15 March.

19 February , 2024

Health Insurers are Increasing their Top-Level Policy Prices by over 30%

“Over the past three years, average health insurance premiums across all levels went up by 8.6%, according to government data. However, our analysis found that the cost of top-level Gold hospital policies has increased by over 30% on average,” says CHOICE health insurance expert, Jodi Bird.

31 January , 2024

Consumer Advocates Call on Insurers to Act Now at Flood Insurance Inquiry

Consumer advocates call on insurers to act now at flood insurance inquiry

Urgent changes needed to improve claims handling process

A number of consumer advocacy groups – including CHOICE, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, and Financial Counselling Australia – will be the first to appear today and tomorrow at a public hearing for the parliamentary inquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims.

25 January , 2024

Proposed Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Reforms

In February 2023, health ministers announced they would take action to ensure the management of professional misconduct by health practitioners relating to sexual misconduct and sexual boundary violations would better meet community expectations.

Health ministers are seeking feedback to determine if amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law are needed to provide greater transparency to the public about health practitioners’ regulatory history when they have engaged in sexual misconduct or sexual boundary violations.

28 December , 2023

Vaping Reform and Webinar

Two weeks ago changes to vaping laws were made via reforms to customs and therapeutic goods regulations. The reforms focus primarily on the sale and importation of disposable vapes and on the prescription of vapes for therapeutic purposes by qualified medical practitioners. The reforms go into effect on January 1st 2024, and by March 1st…

29 November , 2023

Consultation Opens on Use of Genetic Testing in Life Insurance

Currently, the Disability Discrimination Act provides an exemption for life insurers to use genomic or genetic test results when underwriting life insurance contracts. Since 2019, an industry-regulated partial-moratorium has been in place that prohibits the use of these tests below certain financial limits.
The government encourages all interested parties to make a submission in response to the consultation paper, which can be found on the Treasury website.