Writer
Charles Maskell-Knight
• Charles Maskell-Knight PSM was a senior public servant in the Commonwealth Department of Health for over 25 years before retiring in 2021. He worked as a senior adviser to the Aged Care Royal Commission in 2019-20. He is a member of Croakey Health Media. Follow on X/Twitter at @CharlesAndrewMK.
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Greater efforts are needed to tackle a “staggering” increase in vaping rates
The Federal Government last week launched a new influencer-led social media campaign to discourage vaping among young people, warning that social media is “awash” with pro-vaping content. Continue reading »
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Government’s response to Long Covid inquiry an exercise in sophistry
Preparing government responses to reports from Parliamentary inquiries often involves finding a plausible excuse to reject a perfectly sensible suggestion. The Department of Health and Aged Care failed this task in its response to the House of Representatives Long COVID inquiry. Continue reading »
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On private health insurance, a timely call to look beyond self-interest
Following the release of the 2022-23 Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) report on private health insurers, I wrote in mid-November that the financial health of the sector was so robust there was no case for the Minister to approve a premium increase. Continue reading »
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Do political donations win government tenders for the Big Four?
A recent submission to a Senate inquiry by the Centre for Public Integrity claimed that in the decade to 2023 companies making political donations “were 2.49 times more likely to win procurement contracts than non-donors”, and that the value of contracts won by donor companies was on average 4.4 times the value of contracts won Continue reading »
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As another workforce review launches, what does the latest OECD health stocktake reveal?
The Federal Government has announced a review of current policies and programs that aim to promote a more equitable distribution of the health workforce. Continue reading »
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DHAC review recommends improved strategic policy capability, data-driven metrics
The Australian Public Service Commission released the second capability review of the Department of Health and Aged Care on 18 August. While the review is not as scathing as the first review in 2014, it still sets out a challenging internal reform agenda for new Secretary Blair Comley. Continue reading »
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No action from Federal Government on Aged Care review
In Canberra, Friday is the traditional day for taking out the trash. It is thus not surprising that Aged Care Minister Anika Wells chose Friday 21 July as the day to release the capability review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Continue reading »
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Fact-checking claims on how best to expand access to dental services
The Federal Government has been urged to ignore advice from Private Healthcare Australia (PHA) suggesting that private health insurance funds have an important role in increasing access to dental services. Continue reading »
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Audit Office slams Morrison government mismanagement of health grants
The latest Audit Office report documenting mismanagement by the Morrison government of a grants program – in this case the Community Health and Hospitals Program – has generated outrage. At a time when the health system is under great pressure, over a billion dollars in grants were allocated on the basis of a dodgy process. Continue reading »
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The aged care payment system should be re-designed to support quality
The aged care payment system currently requires providers wishing to make a profit to do so by skimping on care and services. A new payment structure is needed to reverse the incentives, and link higher profits to better care. Continue reading »
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Restricting Medicare access to GPs that bulk bill all patients
In a recent article in The Conversation, Professors Stephen Duckett and Fiona McDonald and Ms Emma Campbell suggest “restrict[ing] Medicare access to GPs who agree to bulk bill all patients, while allowing those who don’t bulk bill to rely solely on out-of-pocket payments”. While there is much to commend this proposal, it is not without Continue reading »
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Unpacking the Philip Medicare Review
Following “revelations” of $8 billion Medicare “rorts” in the Nine newspapers last spring, Health Minister Mark Butler commissioned Dr Pradeep Philip to conduct a review of Medicare integrity and compliance. His report has now been publicly released, and subject to vastly different readings. Continue reading »
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The difficulties of health reform
When he was Treasurer Paul Keating complained that the resident galah in every pet shop across Australia was talking about microeconomic reform. Over the last few months the galahs have learned a new script: health reform. Continue reading »
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The States can act now on ‘broken’ GP system
State and territory first ministers are again pressing national cabinet to consider health care reform as its top priority at the first meeting for 2023. We have heard this song before. Continue reading »
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The corporatisation of General Practice
Proposals to reform how Medicare supports primary care need to take account of the changed ownership structure of general practice as well as changing health needs. Continue reading »
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Robodebt: can you recall a greater failure of public administration?
Federal Court Justice Bernard Murphy described Robodebt as “a massive failure of public administration”. So far the Royal Commission has made little progress is establishing how it happened, given contrary legal advice and warnings from mid-level public servants of the policy dangers. Continue reading »
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Medicare compliance review unlikely to succeed
Minister for Health Mark Butler has given in to pressure from some media outlets and on 5 November announced an independent review into Medicare compliance to report in four months – a requirement which means it will struggle to deliver on its main terms of reference. Continue reading »
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Medicare “rorts”ridiculous, but reform still needed
Suggestions that Medicare is being “rorted” to the extent of $8 billion a year are ridiculous. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a need for reform in how Medicare pays GPs. Continue reading »
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We need more than an Auditor-General’s report on COVID-19 vaccination
The recent Auditor-General’s report on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout gave the Department of Health a C-minus – late starting work, not paying close attention to the curriculum, but scrambling to catch up and deliver an adequate but not wholly satisfactory performance. However, the aged care vaccine rollout raises a fundamental issue outside the scope of Continue reading »
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Hospitals and general practice reform
Reducing the pressure on hospitals from patients who don’t require urgent and complex care requires reform of general practice. Continue reading »
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The erosion of Medicare
Large out-of-pocket costs for specialist consultations driven by inadequate indexations are undermining Medicare. Continue reading »
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Priorities for a new health minister
After almost a decade of health policy stagnation, what are the three most important issues for a new health minister to address? Continue reading »
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The Commonwealth Department of Health has never really done health policy.
As the Department of Health’s policy capability has waned, central agencies have taken over more and more of the health policy workload. Continue reading »
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Why the Department of Health has proven tragically inept
The Health Department’s Covid response was filled with missteps due to its indifferent minister, structural deficiencies and reliance on consultants. Continue reading »
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The Budget falsely claims to make health insurance cheaper through lower premium rebates
The Ministry of Truth has apparently taken over the preparation of Department of Health Budget “fact” sheets. A decision which will increase the cost of private health insurance for thousands of Australians is presented as “making private health insurance simpler and more affordable”. Continue reading »
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The unfortunate reality for private health insurance premiums
On 21 December last year, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced “the lowest annual average [private health insurance] premium change for consumers since 2001”. However, the affordability of private health insurance for many consumers continues to decline and is likely to get worse. Continue reading »
