Casemix--an AMA perspective

The introduction of casemix payment systems into Australia's public hospitals is an inevitability which the Australian Medical Association has now begun to address. A greater involvement of clinicians in the design and implementation of casemix can add substantial quality to these systems. However, there is concern that a proliferation of separate casemix systems may be contrary to overall health policy developments and that governments will not understand the limits of casemix. Recent attempts to include medical payments within a casemix payment system in the private sector faced our united opposition. Finally, special care needs to be taken to ensure that the introduction of a casemix payment system does not further disadvantage access to high quality health care for Aborigines.