The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has published another of its annual reports, providing statistics on public and private sector medical indemnity claims in Australia.  These cover the 2009 year.  Interesting reading..

Total ‘new’ claims in the year totalled 2,600, roughly equally split between public v private medical care.

The more interesting figures came in terms of cases closed/finalised in that year.  The total here was 3,100, which sounds like a lot until it is appreciated that 30% of these were resolved without any payment (so 930).  Then we take out another 36% in which the payment was $10,000 or less (another 1,1116).  This leaves 1,023 claims, of which 124 (4%) recieved payouts of $500,000.00 or more.

Interestingly, there was no suggestion at all in the report (at least that I could see) to suggest any increase in claims costs/incidence.  This in real terms probably indicates a fall, given the increasing costs of remedial medical treatment etc, that would fall within many claims.

Crisis, aint no sign of one… for all the info, see here.