Tag Archives: oceania

Bupa fined $35m for misleading thousands of customers for over five years

Bupa has been handed a $35 million fine for misleading customers, hospitals and medical providers about its private health insurance benefits.

The health provider was found to have told members they were unable to receive benefits for mixed coverage and uncategorised item claims between May 2018 to August 2023, when they were actually entitled to those benefits.

More than 4100 claims were affected by behaviour the federal court ruled as false, misleading, deceptive, and unconscionable.

READ MORE: Australia records highest number of Indigenous deaths in custody since 1979

A Bupa health insurance sign.

These claims were mostly for hospital treatments where two or more procedures were performed at the same time.

Some were for claims where only part of the treatment was covered by a member's policy.

Medical providers and hospitals also did not receive the money they were entitled to.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) began court action against the nation's second-largest private health insurer in June.

Today, the federal court has ordered Bupa to pay $35 million and abide by a five-year injuction prohibting the provider from breaching the rules.

Bupa has paid back most of the affected customers $14.3 million relating to more than 4100 claims. 

READ MORE: Missing FIFO worker failed to board flight and hailed a cab to the beach

The government has released a plan aimed at increasing the number of patients treated through elective surgery.

ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said Bupa's actions were "extremely serious" as thousands of customers suffered financial harm, pain, suffering and emotional distress.

"Some of Bupa's members decided to cancel, delay or forego necessary treatment, resulting in potential medical risks or complications, because they were incorrectly told they were not entitled to health insurance benefits," she said.

"Private health insurance can be a significant expense for consumers, and people rightly expect to receive the level of coverage they pay for."

Bupa accepted the court decision and apologised to its customers.

"We remain deeply sorry for these errors and have apologised to our affected customers for the impact this has had on them and their families and have taken actions to ensure this doesn't occur again," the provider said in a statement. 

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Missing FIFO worker failed to board flight and hailed a cab to the beach

Police have revealed new details on the movements of a missing FIFO worker who failed to board a flight in Perth and instead took a cab to the beach.

William Carter smiled in a photo with his mum before she dropped the 25-year-old off outside Perth Airport T3 about 12.40pm (GMT) on Saturday so he could travel to the Pilbara for his working stint.

But he never made the flight and has not been heard from since. 

READ MORE: Australia records highest number of Indigenous deaths in custody since 1979

Bill O'Byrne travelled from Kelmscott to Perth Airport on December 6 but was missing by 2pm that same day after he did not make his flight to Karratha.

Today, police shared that Carter was at the airport for an hour and a half before he left in a taxi about 2.10pm and travelled to Trigg Beach. 

He arrived about 30 minutes later and was last seen near a surf club on West Coast Drive, which stretches from South Trigg to Sorrento.

He was carrying a small backpack and wearing a black t-shirt, shorts and black and white sneakers at the time.

His family and police have serious concerns about his welfare, and anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to immediately contact 131 444.

Carter is described as being about 174cm tall with a slim build, brown hair and blue eyes.

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