Media Releases
News and information from HBA
The media releases below are provided for the benefit of media representatives, analysts and our customers. The information contained within them relates to HBA and its private health insurance and general insurance products, services and announcements.For all general and customer enquiries please contact us online or on 131 243.
HBA and the Hawks provide a unique experience for bushfire survivors |
29 June 2010 | ||
| This week health insurer HBA is giving ten deserving junior footballers from the bushfire ravaged regions of Victoria the chance to spend three days with the Hawthorn Football Club through the 2010 HBA Highmarks program. | |||
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Bikes and health, a natural partnership |
28 May 2010 | ||
| Leading private health insurer HBA today announced an exciting new partnership with Australia's premier bike challenge, HBA Around the Bay in a Day. | |||
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HBA commends the government's health initiatives |
12 May 2010 | ||
| As a leading healthcare provider, HBA commends the government for introducing a range of measures designed to improve the health of every Australian. | |||
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Hawks and HBA continue bushfire recovery effort |
12 May 2010 | ||
| Junior footballers from the bushfire ravaged regions of Victoria received a further boost to help in their recovery when HBA today announced 12 participants will be given the chance to train with the Hawthorn Football Club as part of the 2010 HighMarks program. | |||
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Bupa encourages Government action to safeguard consumers |
25 March 2010 | ||
| Bupa Australia, which operates the leading health insurance brands MBF, HBA and Mutual Community, is encouraging the government to help protect Australians by regulating retail health insurance brokers and comparison websites. | |||
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Bupa supports global environmental initiative |
25 March 2010 | ||
| Bupa Australia, which operates under the trusted and respected brands, MBF, HBA, Mutual Community and ClearView, will demonstrate its commitment to the environment by taking part in Earth Hour for the fourth consecutive year. | |||
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Bupa Australia recognised as an employer of choice |
22 March 2010 | ||
| Bupa Australia has been acknowledged for the second year in a row for its dedication towards creating opportunities for women. | |||
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Removal of No-Gap contract with Sonic Healthcare for in-hospital pathology services |
24 December 2009 | ||
| HBA has endeavoured to negotiate an ongoing provider contract with Sonic that is in the best interests of our members for more than five months. | |||
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Update: Changes to the Medicare schedule fee for cataract procedures |
7 December 2009 | ||
| As part of the 2009-10 Federal Budget, the Federal Government undertook a review of some Medicare-funded medical services. | |||
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HBA deposits $100,000 into Very Special Kids' Piggy Bank |
24 September 2009 | ||
| Leading private health insurer HBA today announced it would donate $100,000 to Very Special Kids, as part of the organisation's annual Piggy Bank Appeal. | |||
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A million good reasons that matter to HBA customers |
7 September 2009 | ||
| Leading healthcare company Bupa Australia today launched a unified customer promise and marketing campaign that highlights the myriad different reasons why people take out health insurance under its trusted brands, HBA, MBF and Mutual Community. | |||
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Bupa welcomes the NHHRC's bold health reform blueprint |
30 July 2009 | ||
| Bupa Australia, which operates under the trusted private health insurance brands HBA, MBF and Mutual Community, has congratulated the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (NHHRC) for its bold and ambitious health reform blueprint, released this week by the Federal Government. | |||
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Update: Changes to the Medicare levy surcharge thresholds |
1 July 2009 | ||
| If you don't have private hospital cover, the Australian Taxation Office will charge you an extra 1% of your taxable income under the Medicare levy surcharge (MLS). This is in addition to the 1.5% Medicare Levy - which everybody pays. | |||
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2009 Budget update: Proposed changes to the private health insurance rebate |
24 June 2009 | ||
| The Federal Government's proposed means testing of the 30% private health insurance rebate, and increases in the Medicare Levy Surcharge, have passed through the House of Representatives. | |||
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HBA announces creative and media partner appointments |
18 June 2009 | ||
| HBA has concluded a thorough creative and media agency pitch process, announcing the successful agencies today. | |||
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HBA says rebate changes place additional pressure on millions of Australians |
13 May 2009 | ||
| HBA's Managing Director, Richard Bowden, commented today on the Federal Government's proposed changes to the private health insurance rebate and the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), saying that they are a dark cloud above Australia's health horizon. | |||
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A message from Richard Bowden to customers regarding proposed changes to the private health insurance rebate |
13 May 2009 | ||
| The Federal Government has confirmed the changes it wants to make to the private health insurance rebate and the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS). | |||
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Important message from Richard Bowden to HBA customers |
8 May 2009 | ||
| Understandably, recent media report (The Australian, 08/05/09) that the Federal Government is considering reducing the private health insurance rebate for higher income earners may cause some of our customers concern. | |||
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HBA launches mobile healthcare information at customers' fingertips |
5 May 2009 | ||
| HBA today launched an innovative software application designed to provide customers with access to free, mobile healthcare provider information. | |||
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Bupa proudly embraces Earth Hour 09 |
26 March 2009 | ||
| Bupa Australia - which operates under the trusted and respected brands, MBF, HBA, Mutual Community and Clear View - is delighted to announce it will once again participate in Earth Hour. | |||
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Bupa Australia champions equality in the workplace |
18 March 2009 | ||
| Bupa Australia today announced it has been recognised as an 'Employer of Choice for Women'* by the Federal Government's Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA). | |||
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HBA premium increase less than the industry average for the eighth consecutive year |
2 March 2009 |
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| HBA today announced its private health insurance premiums would rise by an average of 6.0%, or less than $1.50 a week, for a single membership. | |||
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Bupa Australia pledges $100,000 and establishes a Bushfire Relief Fund to help ease pain and suffering |
10 February 2009 | ||
| Bupa Australia today announced it would provide a $100,000 cash donation to the Red Cross bushfires appeal, as well as matching employee donations and initiating a relief fund, in support of the many thousands of Australians who have been affected by the Victorian bushfires. | |||
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Health insurer HBA takes on partnership with Hawthorn Football Club |
9 February 2009 | ||
| The Hawthorn Football Club's amazing 20 year partnership with leading private health insurer MBF will go from strength to strength with today's announcement that its sister brand, HBA, will take on the role as Hawthorn's long-running sponsor. | |||
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Mottram honours his end of the HBA Great Australian Run challenge |
4 December 2008 | ||
| The historical inaugural HBA Great Australian Run may be over but Australian champion runner Craig Mottram had one more challenge to complete. | |||
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HBA people walk the talk for better health in the HBA Great Australian Run |
1 December 2008 | ||
| Around 80 HBA, MBF and Mutual Community employees and their family and friends put their feet where their mouths were last weekend to promote the benefits of exercise and to raise funds for charity in the inaugural HBA Great Australian Run. | |||
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Fiona Stanley receives a public 'thank you' |
28 November 2008 | ||
| Professor Fiona Stanley AC has been honoured by her peers for her tireless efforts to make health and medical research a higher national priority. | |||
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New Managing Director for Bupa Australia |
16 November 2008 | ||
| Bupa Asia Pacific Managing Director Dean Holden today announced that Mr Richard Bowden had officially taken over as Managing Director of the company. | |||
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World Record Holder v Commonwealth Champion v World Champ v Weekend Warrior |
30 October 2008 | ||
| In what has quickly become the best quality road race ever staged in Australia outside of the Sydney Olympics, the men's field for the HBA Great Australian Run will feature the world marathon record holder, the world marathon champion and now the reigning Commonwealth Games marathon champion, after it was announced that Tanzanian Samson Ramadhani will toe the start line on Sunday 30 November. | |||
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HBA raises $400,000 for Very Special Kids in five years |
30 October 2008 | ||
| HBA today congratulated Very Special Kids for raising $1,019,419 in this year’s Piggy Bank Appeal to help support families of children with life-threatening illnesses. | |||
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The quality keeps coming for the HBA Great Australian Run |
22 October 2008 |
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| The men’s field for the HBA Great Australian Run became even stronger today with the announcement that two more international stars and a pair of talented Australians will compete in the event to be held on the streets of Melbourne on Sunday 30 November. |
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Medicare Levy Surcharge Thresholds |
16 October 2008 |
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| Bupa Australia Deputy Managing Director Richard Bowden said today the company accepted the Parliament's decision to approve revised increases to the Medicare Levy Surcharge thresholds to $70,000 for singles, and $140,000 for families. |
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Beijing Olympic marathon champion coming to Melbourne |
15 October 2008 |
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| Constantina Dita-Tomescu, the 38-year-old who stunned athletics followers with her breakaway victory in the women's marathon at this year's Olympics, is the latest athlete to join the cast of world stars who will compete in the HBA Great Australian Run in Melbourne on Sunday 30 November. |
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HBA joins the world's best for the first-ever Great Australian Run |
12 September 2008 |
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| HBA, part of Australia’s leading health and care company, Bupa Australia, is lacing up the runners as the premier sponsor of the inaugural 15 kilometre Great Australian Run, to be held in Melbourne on 30 November 2008. |
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Advice to help you sleep easy |
15 August 2008 |
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| Sleep Tight, a new booklet released this week by one of Australia's leading health insurance providers Bupa Australia, which operates as HBA, Mutual Community and MBF, helps to make sleep for the entire family attainable. It is a simple, practical guide for parents to help settle children from birth to two years. |
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Football United's young refugees receive sporting grant |
8 May 2008 |
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| Today Sydney FC's Alex Brosque was on hand to present the children of Football United's unique refugee program with HBA's first INTOFOOTBALL sporting grant valued at $4,000. |
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Leading national health insurer opens customer service branch in Perth |
8 April 2008 |
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| This week Australia's second largest non-government health insurer is opening its doors in Western Australia for the first time, with a new customer branch at St George's Terrace in Perth. |
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HBA keeps below seven year average |
6 March 2008 |
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| HBA today confirmed its commitment to keeping health insurance affordable for more Australians, announcing its seventh consecutive year of below industry average premium rises. In 2008 HBA's average premium increase will be 4.58% - below the national industry average of 4.99%. |
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Over 400,000 Australians predicted to pay $500 tax surcharge |
18 July 2007 |
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| All Australian taxpayers pay a 1.5 percent Medicare Levy. The Medicare Levy Surcharge is imposed on individuals earning over the threshold who do not have an appropriate level of hospital cover. The Medicare Levy Surcharge is an initiative of the Federal Government to take pressure off the public system and encourage people to take advantage of the benefits of private hospital cover. |
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Private health insurance: delay and you could pay more |
22 June 2007 |
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| Each year on June 30, the Federal Government’s Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading is applied to anyone aged 31 or older who joins private hospital cover. The loading adds two per cent for each year a person is aged over 31, on top of base private health insurance premiums. Changes introduced by the Federal Government mean Australians who join later in life and maintain their private health insurance cover for 10 consecutive years will stop paying the loading. |
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HBA below national premium rise for six years |
23 February 2007 |
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| HBA announced today that for the sixth consecutive year its average premium increase would be below the national industry average. From 1 April 2007 HBA increased premiums by an average of 4.5%. Also, HBA will pass on the full savings from recent regulatory changes to single parent families – reducing their premiums by up to 25% on a wide variety of hospital covers. |
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Single parents to save $ on health insurance from April 2007 |
13 February 2007 |
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| HBA announced that single parents will see their premiums reduced by up to 25 percent on certain levels of hospital cover from 1 April 2007 due to regulatory changes within the health insurance industry. |
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Tooth decay eating away at our kids |
6 December 2006 |
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| Amid findings that tooth decay has become the single most common chronic disease among children, HBA Dental Advisor Dr Peter Clarke said a child’s access to regular dental care was critical in the prevention of dental disease and to treating disease in its early stages. |
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