Senator Allison asked the Minister for Finance and Administration, upon notice, on 19 July 2004:

(1) Since 1 April 2004, by month, how many and which hospital contracts have been negotiated and agreed by Medibank Private.

(2) How does this number compare with the previous quarter.

(3) (a) How many and which hospital contracts are currently under negotiation; and (b) for each contract under negotiation, how long have negotiations taken so far.

Senator Minchin (Minister for Finance and Administration) —The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) I am advised by Medibank Private that since 1 April 2004, it has agreed 21 hospital contracts. Five were agreed in April 2004, seven in May 2004, and nine in June 2004. These numbers are to be read in the context that the large majority of Medibank Private contracts expire between 30 June and 30 September each year, and as such it is normal for Medibank Private to have a large number of negotiations in progress at this time of year.

It is not appropriate for me to provide details regarding Medibank Private's negotiation of specific hospital contracts, including which hospital contracts have been negotiated, on the grounds that answering would be prejudicial to Medibank Private's commercial interest. To reveal such details of negotiations would provide both hospitals and other private health insurance funds with information on Medibank Private that may influence contract negotiations. A list of hospitals with which Medibank Private has a contract or is currently negotiating a contract, as at 2 August 2004, is attached.

(2) I am advised by Medibank Private that 12 hospital contracts were negotiated and agreed during the period January to March 2004; two in January 2004, four in February 2004, and six in March 2004.

(3) (a) Medibank Private currently has 72 hospital contracts under negotiation.

(b) It is not appropriate for Medibank Private to provide details regarding negotiation of specific hospital contracts, including the length of negotiations, on the grounds that answering would be prejudicial to Medibank Private's commercial interest. Medibank Private operates in a competitive environment and as such has commercial imperatives that influence contract negotiations, and the length of those negotiations, with health service providers. To reveal such details of negotiations would provide other private health insurance funds with information on Medibank Private that could be damaging to Medibank Private's commercial position.

Hospital Name

Calvary Private Hospital

John James Memorial Hospital

The National Capital Private

Brindabella Endoscopy Centre

Canberra Eye Hospital

Canberra Surgicentre

Mugga Wara Endoscopy Centre

Allowah Children's Hospital

Alpha Westmead Private Hospital

Alwyn Rehabilitation Hospital

Armidale Private Hospital

Baringa Private Hospital

Berkeley Vale Private Hospital

Brisbane Waters Private Hospital

Calvary Private Hospital Wagga Wagga Inc.

Cape Hawke Community Private Hospital

Castlecrag Private Hospital

Christo Road Private Hospital

Dalcross Private Hospital

Delmar Private Hospital

Dubbo Private Hospital

Eastern Suburbs Private Hospital

Evesham Clinic Hospital

Hawkesbury District Health Service Private Hospital

Hirondelle Private Hospital

Holroyd Private Hospital

Hunter Valley Private Hospital

Hunters Hill Private Hospital

Hurstville Community Private Hospital

Jean Colvin Hospital

Kareena Private Hospital

Lady Davidson Private Hospital

Lake Macquarie Private Hospital

Lawrence Hargrave Private Hospital

Lingard Private Hospital

Lithgow Community Private Hospital

Longueville Private Hospital

Macarthur Private Hospital

Manly Waters Private Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital

Mayo Private Hospital

Metropolitan Rehabilitation Hospital

Minchinbury Community Hospital

Mosman Private Hospital

Mt Wilga Rehabilitation Private Hospital

Nepean Private Hospital

Newcastle Private Hospital

North Gosford Private Hospital

North Shore Private Hospital

Northside West Clinic

Nowra Private Hospital

Orange Private Hospital formerly Dudley Private Hospital

Peninsula Private Hospital

Poplars Private Hospital

Port Macquarie Base Hospital

Port Macquarie Private Hospital

President Private Hospital

Prince of Wales Private Hospital

Roma Private Hospital

Shellharbour Private Hospital

Southern Highlands Private Hospital

St George Private Hospital

St John Of God Private Hospital

St John Of God Private Hospital

St Luke's Hospital Complex

St Vincent's Private Hospital

St Vincents Private Hospital

St Vincents Private Hospital

Strathfield Private Hospital

Sydney Adventist Hospital

Sydney Southwest Private Hospital

Tamara Private Hospital

The Hills Private Hospital

The Illawarra Private Hospital

The Northside Clinic

The Sydney Clinic

The Sydney Private Hospital

Toronto Private Hospital

Wandene Private Hospital

Warners Bay Private Hospital

Wesley Private Hospital

Westside Private Hospital

Wolper Hospital

Adori Day Clinic

Aesthetic Day Surgery

Albury Day Surgery

Ballina Day Surgery

Bankstown Primary Health Care Day Surgery

Bega Valley Day Surgery and Private Hospital

Bondi Junction Endoscopy Centre

Boulevarde Day Surgical Centre

Bowral Diagnostic Centre

Broadmeadow Day Surgery Centre

Burwood Endoscopy Centre

Calvary Day Procedure Centre (was Wagga Wagga Day Surgery)

Caringbah Day Surgery

Carswell Clinic Day Surgery

Castle Hill Day Surgery

Centre for Digestive Diseases

City West Day Surgery Centre

Coffs Harbour Day Surgery

Day Surgery Centre - Manly

Dee Why Endoscopy Unit

Diagnostic Endoscopy Centre

Drummoyne Eye Surgical Centre

Eastern Heart Clinic

Eastern Suburbs Endoscopy Clinic

Excel Endoscopy Centre

Francis Street Ophthalmic Day Procedure Centre

Hastings Diagnostic Centre

Hurstville Day Surgery Centre

Inner West Endoscopy Centre

Insight Clinic

Kingsgrove Day Hospital

Laser Cosmetic Day Procedure Centre

Liverpool Day Surgery

Maroubra Day Surgery

Marsden Eye Surgery Centre

Metwest Eye Centre

Miranda Eye Surgical Centre

Newcastle Plastic Surgery Day Case Centre

Ophthalmic Surgery Centre (North Shore)

Orange Eye Centre

Peninsula Private Sleep Laboratory

Pennant Hills Day Endoscopy Centre

Pittwater Day Surgery

Preterm Foundation

Randwick Day Surgery

Riverina Cancer Care Centre

Riverina Cardiovascular & Physiology Centre

Rosebery Day Surgery

Rosemont Endoscopy Centre

Skin And Cancer Foundation

South Western Day Surgical Centre

Southderm Southern Suburbs Dermatology

Southline Eye Surgery Centre

Sussex Day Surgery

Sydney Day Surgery Prince Alfred

Sydney Day Surgery Darlinghurst

Sydney ENT And Facial Day Surgery Ctr

Sydney Eye Day Surgery

Sydney Haematology and Oncology Clinic

The Eye Institute

The Eye Surgery

The Lambton Road Day Surgery

The Plaza Clinic for Laser & Cosmetic Surgery

The San Day Surgery

The Sydney Clinic For Gastrointestinal Diseases

The Sydney Eye Specialist Centre

The Wales Day Centre

Tweed Day Surgery

Vista Laser Eye Clinics (NSW)

Wagga Endoscopy Centre

Warringah Mall Day Surgery

Westmed Centre

Wollongong Day Surgery

Darwin Private Hospital

East Point Day Surgery Centre

Allamanda Private Hospital

Allora District Co-Op Hospital

Belmont Hospital

Brisbane Private Hospital

Caboolture Private Hospital

Cairns Private Hospital

Caloundra Private Hospital

Canossa Hospital

Clifton Co-Operative Hospital

Cooloola Community Private Hospital

Crows Nest Hospital

Eastern Endoscopy Centre

Eden Private Healthcare Centre

Eye-Tech Day Surgery

Friendly Society Private Hospital

Greenslopes Private Hospital

Holy Spirit Northside

John Flynn Hospital & Medical Centre

Killarney & District Private Hospital

Logan Day Surgery

Logan Private Hospital

Mater Centre for Haematology & Oncology

Mater Misericordiae Childrens Private Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Day Unit

Mater Misericordiae Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital

Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital - Redland

Mater Mothers Private Hospital

Mount Olivet Hospital

Nambour Selangor Private Hospital

New Farm Clinic

Noosa Hospital & Specialist Centre

North West Brisbane Private Hospital

Nth Queensland Day Surgery Centre

Pacific Private Hospital

Palm Beach Currumbin Hospital

Peninsula Private Hospital

Pindara - Gold Coast Private Hospital

Pindara Day Procedure Centre

Pine Rivers Private Hospital

Pioneer Valley Hospital

Pittsworth Hospital

QFG Day Theatres

Queensland Eye Centre

Rockhampton-Hillcrest Private Hospital

Roderick Street Day Surgery

South Burnett Community Private Hospital

St Andrew's Hospital

St Andrew's Hospital

St Andrews War Memorial Hospital

St Stephens Private Hospital

St Vincent's Hospital

Sunnybank Private Hospital

Sunshine Coast Day Surgery

Sunshine Coast Haematology & Oncology Clinic

T & G Day Surgery Unit

Terrace West Endoscopy Centre

The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital

The Wesley Clinic for Haematology & Oncology

The Wesley Hospital

The Wesley Hospital Townsville

Toowong Private Hospital

Toowoomba Surgicentre

Tri-Rhosen Day Surgery

Allamanda Surgicentre

Brisbane Endoscopy Services

Cairns Day Surgery

Cairns Surgical Centre

Chasely Day Surgery

Mackay Day Surgery

Montserrat Day Hospital

Montserrat Day Hospital

North Queensland Day Surgical Centre

Pacific Day Surgery

Short Street Day Surgery

Townsville Day Surgery

Vision Centre Day Surgery

Adelaide Clinic The

Ardrossan Community Hospital

Ashford Hospital

Blackwood & District Comm. Hosp.

Burnside War Memorial Hosp.

Calvary Hospital Adelaide

Central Districts Private Hospital

College Grove Private Hospital

Flinders Private Hospital

Fullarton Private Hospital

Glenelg Community Hospital

Griffith Rehabilitation Hospital

Hamley Bridge Memorial Hosp.

Kahlyn Private Hospital

Keith & District Hospital

Mallala Community Hospital

McLaren Vale Private Hosp.

Memorial Hospital The

Moonta Health & Aged Care Service

Mount Gambier Private Hosp.

Noarlunga Health Services

North Eastern Community Hosp.

Northern Yorke Private Hosp.

Parkwynd Private Hospital

Repromed

Riverland Private Hospital

South Coast District Hosp

Sportsmed SA Hospital & Day Surgery

St Andrews Hospital

Stirling & Districts Hospital

Wakefield Hospital

Western Hospital

Adelaide Day Surgery

Adelaide Eye & Laser Ctr

Brighton Day Surgery

Glen Osmond Surgicentre

Glenelg Day Surgery

Hamilton House Day Surgery

Hartley Dialysis Centre

Hill Day Surgery Centre

Mary McHugh Day Surgery Ctr

Modbury Private Endoscopy Clinic

North Adelaide Gastroenterology Ctr

North Adelaide Day Surgery Ctr

Northern Endoscopy Centre

Oxford Day Surgery Centre

Renal Therapy Services

Sach Day Surgery

South Terrace Urology

Waverley House Plastic Surgery

Calvary Campus - Calvary Healthcare

Hobart Clinic The

Mersey Community Hospital

North West Private Hospital

Philip Oakden House Private Hospital

St Helens & Hobart Private Hosp.

St John's Campus - Calvary Healthcare

St Lukes Private Hospital

St Vincents Private Hospital

Eye Hospital The

Hobart Day Surgery

Albert Road Clinic The

Albury-Wodonga Private Hosp.

Avenue Hospital The

Baronor Private Hospital

Bays Hospital - Mornington The

Beleura Private Hospital

Bellbird Private Hospital

Berwick Hospital

Cabrini Brighton Private Hospital

Cabrini Hospital

Cedar Court Rehab. Hospital

Chiltern & District Bush Nursing Hospital

Cliveden Hill Private Hospital

Como Private Hospital

Cotham Private Hospital

Delmont Private Hospital

Donvale Rehabilitation Hospital

Elsternwick Private Hospital

Epworth Hospital

Epworth Rehabilitation - Brighton

Euroa Hospital

Frances Perry Private Hospital

Freemasons Hospital

Gambro Diamond Valley Clinic

Geelong Clinic The

Geelong Private Hospital

Hartwell Private Hospital

Heyfield Hospital Inc

Hopetoun Rehabilitation Hosp.

Ivanhoe Manor Private Hosp.

Jessie McPherson Private Hosp.

John Fawkner - Moreland Private Hospital

Knox Private Hospital

La Trobe University Medical Ctr

Lilydale Private Hospital

Linacre Private Hospital ( formerly Bayside)

Malvern Private Hospital

Maryvale Private Hospital

Masada Private Hospital

Melbourne Clinic The

Melbourne Private Hospital

Mercy Campus - St Vincents & Mercy Hospital

Mitcham Private Hospital

Monash Surgical Private Hosp

Mount Alvernia Mercy Hospital

Mount Waverley Private Hospital

Mountain District Private Hosp.

Murray Valley Private Hospital

Neerim District Soldiers' Memorial Hosp

Northpark Private Hospital

Olympia Private Rehab. Hosp.

Peninsula Private Hospital

Pinelodge Clinic Private Hosp.

Ringwood Private Hospital

Sea Lake & Dist. Health Service

Shepparton Private Hospital

South Eastern Private Hospital

St John of God Health Care - Nepean Rehabilitation Hospital

St John Of God Hospital

St John Of God Hospital

St John Of God Hospital

St Vincent's Campus - St Vincent's & Mercy Hospital

Sunbury Private Hospital

Valley Private Hospital The

Victoria House Private Hospital

Victorian Rehabilitation Centre- North (Fomerly Dorset Private Hospital)

Victorian Rehabilitation Centre The

Vimy House Private Hospital

Wangaratta Private Hospital

Warley Hospital Inc

Warringal Private Hospital

Western Private Hospital

Yackandandah Bush Nursing Hosp.

Avenue Day Surgery

Ballarat Day Procedure Centre

Bayside Day Endoscopy Hosp.

Bayside Day Procedure & Specialist Ctr

Bayswater Day Procedure Centre

Berwick Eye & Surgicentre

Box Hill Gardens Day Surgery

Brighton Plastic Surgery Centre

Camberwell Eye Clinic Day Surgery & Laser Ctr

Chesterville Day Hospital

Dandenong Eye Clinic & Day Surgery Ctr

Digestive Health Centre

Eastern Eye Surgery Centre

Eastside Endoscopy

Eye Clinic Footscray

Forest Hill Dialysis Centre

Glen Eira Day Surgery

Hobsons Bay Endoscopy Centre

Jolimont Endoscopy

Kew Endoscopy Centre

Kew Private Dialysis Centre

Knox Surgicentre

Linley Clinic

Melbourne Day Surgery

Melbourne Endoscopy Monash Day Hospital

Melbourne Endoscopy Day Hosp.

Noble Park Endoscopy Ctr

North West Endoscopy Services

Peninsula Endoscopy Ctr

Reservoir Day Procedure Ctr

Rosebud SurgiCentre

Sir John Monash Private Hosp.

Southern Eye Centre

Springvale Endoscopy Centre

Stonnington Day Surgery

Surgicentre (Dandenong)

Taburn Specialist Medical Ctr

Waverley Endoscopy

Western Day Surgery

Western Gastroenterology Services

Western Suburbs Endoscopy Services

Albany Hospice

Attadale Hospital

Bethesda Hospital

Cancer Foundation Cottage Hospice

Fremantle Kaleeya Hospital

Galliers Private Hospital

Gi Clinic

Glengarry Hospital

Harborne Dental Clinic

Hollywood Private Hospital

Joondalup Private Hospital

Lions Eye Surgical Centre

McCourt Street Day Surgery

Mercy Hospital Mount Lawley

Mount Hospital

Mt Lawley Private Hospital

Murdoch Community Hospice

Murdoch Surgicentre

Peel Health Campus

Perth Clinic Pty Ltd

Rockingham Family Hospital

South Perth Community

Southbank Clinic

St John Of God Hospital

St John Of God Hospital

St John Of God Hospital

St John Of God Hospital

Westminster Day Surgery

Colin Street Day Surgery

Desula Day Surgery

Eye Surgery Foundation