CEO
Rachel David joined Private Healthcare Australia as CEO in 2016 after spending her career advocating for equitable access to quality healthcare for all Australians. With a wealth of knowledge and achievements, David is an influential voice in the private health sector and led both the major health insurance reforms introduced in April 2019 and, more recently, the industry’s response to COVID-19. David says her biggest priority during the onset of the pandemic was to ensure that policyholders were supported.
“One of the big challenges we have faced as an industry in recent months has been adapting quickly to make sure health funds can continue to deliver value for our 13.6m members,” she says. “The private health insurance industry had to be agile and adapt quickly to ensure our members still had access to vital healthcare services.”
Reflecting on the industry’s response to the pandemic in unison with regulators, David says she’s proud of what she has witnessed. “Personally, I am pleased with the way we have come together as an industry and united on issues such as postponing premiums and working with government and regulators, including APRA and the ACCC,” she says. “It has been crucial to maintain continuous communication and ensure health funds have all the information they need to make decisions in the best interests of their members.”
Beyond the COVID-19 crisis, David says her biggest goal for this year is unchanged. “The goal for 2020 remains the same – to contribute to the delivery of world-class healthcare and for Australians to understand the real value of private health insurance,” she says. “Now more than ever, we understand the value of having access to timely and e cient healthcare.”
