Online benchmarking firm Global Reviews recently studied behaviour of consumers using all of Sydney's major health funds' Web sites and found that while 88 percent used the sites to research fund offerings, only 5 percent used the sites to join the fund. Global Reviews director, Adir Shiffman, said most consumers still preferred to use the phone to sign up for the health fund.
"The bottom line finding form that is that the Web site even today is really a key research medium at the moment -- [potential] members prefer to join up via a phone or a branch," said Shiffman.
On the positive side, Shiffman said that the Australian health insurance industry is one of Australia's most significant Internet converts.
According to Shiffman, the health insurance companies were, less than two years ago, extremely sceptical about the value of conducting business on the Internet, but were now enthusiastically seeking ways to expand their online services.
"They are now believers in the Internet, which is a dramatic change to 18 months ago," said Shiffman.
He said the health insurance was now convinced of the Internet's ability to grow and retain membership numbers, and cut the cost of providing its members with service.
At briefing held late last week, in which Global Reviews delivered its benchmark findings to a gathering of major NSW health funds, Shiffman said it was clear that Australia health insurers were now seeking to expand their service offerings with the biggest topic in the minds of attendees, the addition of online claims facilities.
A minority of attendees at the briefing expressed reservations about the idea, concerned that adding the system would lead to a large jump in the number of claims.
Government Employee Health Fund (GEHF) was the first to provide an online claim facility and HCF said it is on the eve of launching its own version of the service.
Government Employee Health Fund e-business manager, Jason Weaver said introducing the service did not lead to a jump in the number claims made by members - rather, claims were diverted from existing channels.
"We've had lots of great feedback from the members I've never understood why people have been so hesitant to move into it," said Weaver.
