The Australian government has just announced a raft of changes to private health insurance. The reforms should make health cover more affordable, and more attractive for consumers. And this in turn should be beneficial for hospital operators, at least in the short term. continue…

by Stuart Jackson Posted in Health Care

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The private hospital diagnosis this results season was as unpleasant as this year’s flu season. Since result day, Healthscope (ASX: HSO) has plummeted 25 per cent down to $1.68 and Ramsay Health Care (ASX: RHC) 19 per cent to $63.84. Roger Montgomery previously discussed some of the risks we had identified into the results in this June blog. Into the results we felt that both hospital operators were trading at stretched valuations and as a result reduced our positions. Following the share-price correction, we remain comfortable with our remaining holdings. continue…

by Lisa Fedorenko Posted in Health Care

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by Roger Montgomery Posted in Health Care

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Over the weekend, the results were released of a trial comparing the efficacy of two treatments for late stage liver cancer. The treatments were SIRT, pioneered by Australian biotech, Sirtex, versus Sorafenib. The results were generally positive for SIRT. So why has the market responded so harshly?
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by Scott Shuttleworth Posted in Editor's Pick, Health Care

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Over the course of 2016, we provided insight into the competitive dynamics and aggregate prospects of several industry sectors, from financial markets to supermarkets, listed on the Australian stock market.

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Editor's Pick, Health Care, Stocks We Like

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Last November, Resmed launched its new range of AirFit masks. This led us to wonder if the uptick in growth in Resmed’s second quarter results was due to the new masks. Early indications are that the masks have been well received, and are increasing the company’s market share. continue…

by Ben MacNevin Posted in Health Care

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When it comes to political footballs, U.S. healthcare is hard to beat. Just seven years ago, in March 2010, the Affordable Care Act – nicknamed ‘Obamacare’ – became law. This significant overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system was, of course, strongly criticised by the Republican Party and its backers. Now, the Republicans are about to dismantle it. continue…

by George Hadjia Posted in Health Care

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We’ve postured that Resmed has fundamentally changed the US business model in its favour with its Airsense platform. After the release of Resmed’s second quarter results for financial year 2017, we explore how it is tracking against this thesis. continue…

by Ben MacNevin Posted in Health Care

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Privatisation of public health services is often met with fierce criticism (co-payments or ‘Mediscare’ anyone?). But positive feedback for Sydney’s Northern Beaches Hospital has allowed the NSW Government to push ahead with a hospital model that could benefit all stakeholders, including private healthcare operators. continue…

by Ben MacNevin Posted in Health Care

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As any adherent to professional value investing will attest, the practice in Australia has been challenging in 2016.  For a length of time that we’d prefer not to dwell on, we have rued the broad lack of opportunities.  As a result, Montgomery portfolios have not been fully invested, even as our funds have grown.

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Health Care

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