Australia part of global study on health mutuals

28 June 2016

As a result of the BCCM’s campaigning with the global sector, Australia has been included as one of the regions to be reviewed as part of a global study analysing the contribution to citizens’ health by co-operatives and mutuals around the world.

The International Health Co-operative Organisation (IHCO) has commissioned Euricse (the leading co-operative research institution based in Trento, Italy) to complete the five-year study. The scope of ‘health co-operative’ is quite broad, including co-operatives that provide ‘health care and health-related social services’ as well as those working on ‘illness prevention, health promotion and/or health literacy’, and mutuals offering ‘health plans or insurances’.

The research will be used by IHCO, Euricse, the World Co-operative Monitor, and the ICA (and through them the BCCM and other co-operative organisations) and will examine both members and users of health co-operatives and study the way in which health cooperatives operate in and contribute to the welfare system of their country.

This is a great opportunity for the Australian sector to get some solid data for use in our ongoing conversations with government and other groups. The researchers will also be producing some case studies in the first year, and we hope to position some Australian businesses to ensure we get the most value out of this opportunity.

The BCCM is calling on health mutuals across the country to contribute to the project. To register your organisations interest, please contact us: info@bccm.coop.