Our vision
To have a well-regulated, competitive health insurance market where consumers are empowered to make informed decisions.
We empower consumers to choose the right health insurance product for their needs. Our vision is a well-regulated, competitive health insurance market where consumers are empowered to make informed decisions.
In our 2022-2024 strategic plan, we declared five principal values that drive our work.
Independent
We take decisions independently and in the public interest. Our actions and decisions are informed by evidence. We are accountable for our actions and decisions and take responsibility for them.
Trusted
We build trust by being open and transparent in our communications and dealings with the public and the sector we regulate. We provide comprehensive and relevant information on the market.
Effective
Through effective regulation, we will use our powers to deliver effective enforcement and compliance outcomes and assure public trust in private health insurance.
Empowering
We will empower consumers to by providing them with the knowledge and tools necessary to help them make informed decisions in relation to private health insurance. We will empower staff to develop their skills and take initiative to deliver in the consumer interest.
Future focused
We will anticipate changes in health insurance market, technology, and consumer demands, and invest in our infrastructure, people and digital capacity to enhance our capabilities to meet these challenges.
Principal functions
We are independent in the exercise of our functions and our principal functions as provided for in the Health Insurance Acts are:
- To monitor the health insurance market and to advise the Minister (either at his or her request or on its own initiative) on matters relating to health insurance;
- To monitor the operation of the Health Insurance Acts and, where appropriate, to issue enforcement notices to enforce compliance with the Acts;
- To carry out certain functions in relation to health insurance stamp duty and risk equalisation credits and in relation to the risk equalisation scheme;
- To take such action as it considers appropriate to increase the awareness of members of the public of their rights as consumers of health insurance and of health insurance services available to them; and
- To maintain “The Register of Health Benefits Undertakings” and “The Register of Health Insurance Contracts”.
We shall exercise such powers as are necessary for the performance of our functions. The Minister for Health may assign further responsibilities to the Authority as provided for in the Acts.