Southern Cross sees increase in customers despite cost of living

Checkpoint

Is tanking faith in the health system driving more people to sign up for private insurance? The country's largest health insurer Southern Cross Health gained 15,000 new customers last year bringing its membership to more than 955,000 people, despite a cost of living crisis. It's also seen cost of claims increase by 15 percent, paying out an average of 6 million dollars per business day. 50 percent of its members made a health claim last year compared to 33 percent in 2019 . The rush in people buying medical insurance comes against a back drop of a health system in crisis, doctor shortages, blow outs in wait times for cancer treatment, specialist appointments and elective surgeries, plus controversaries over drug funding. Nick Astwick from the Southern Cross Health Society spoke to Lisa Owen.