Health insurance premiums will increase by an average of 4.41% on 1 April, but some Australians are already experiencing bill shock after finding their policies will increase by as much as 10.74%. In the past few weeks policyholders have been notified by health insurers about their premium rises on 1 April 2026 and in some cases, the increases are significantly higher than 4.41%. Analysis by health insurance comparison...
Out-of-pocket fees for Australians with health insurance have risen, new data shows. Statistics from health insurance industry regulator APRA reveal average Gaps for hospital treatment rose by 7.7% in 2025, from an average of $437.61 to $471.29. Gaps for Extras Cover claims were up 5.6% from an average $59.53 to $62.87. Despite the increased Gaps and the cost-of-living crisis, Australians are holding onto their health insurance policies. There was no change to...
The government has approved a 4.41% average health insurance premium rise for 2026 – the highest increase in 9 years. Every year, health insurers must apply to the Minister for Health and Ageing to raise premiums. Last year’s average increase was 3.73%, while the 2017 average was 4.84%. Policyholders will be advised of their premium change over the coming weeks, with new premiums effective from 1 April. The Private Health Insurance Rebate will also be reduced from 1 April...
Increased out-of-pocket costs for specialists are leading many Australians to delay or cancel specialist care, a recent study has found. A survey of 4,000 people by Private Healthcare Australia – peak body for the health insurance industry – found that 55% of people received a higher specialist bill than expected in the past 3 years, and almost one in 3 people had delayed or cancelled specialist care due to costs. The survey – which included 2,300 people...
The Australian Medical Association (AMA), an advocacy group for doctors, says private health insurance no longer provides value for money, and wants the government to overhaul the industry. The association’s annual Private Health Insurance Report Card, released today, found premium prices had doubled over the past 16 years, outstripping health inflation.“Australians are paying more for their...
Increased claim costs are putting health insurers under pressure, new data shows. The latest figures from industry regulator, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), show $5.2 million was paid for hospital treatment claims in the September 2025 quarter – an 8.0% increase compared with the same quarter last year and much higher than the growth in...
Specialist fees for private hospital care in Australia have increased dramatically – in some cases, by as much as 9 times, new data shows. Figures from Private Healthcare Australia, the peak body for the health insurance industry, found that average out-of-pocket fees charged for treating private patients have surged by staggering amounts between 2018-19 and 2023-24. Average...
The Minister of Health has warned health insurers to focus on providing value to customers when they apply to increase their premiums over the next few weeks. Private health insurers are allowed to raise premiums once a year only, subject to government approval. Insurer applications for 2026 premium increases are due in November, with approved prices...
CEO and Founder
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Technical Officer
Writer and Researcher
UX/UI Designer
Brand and Graphic Designer
Led by Chris Payne
If you’re using Hospital Cover to pay for surgery or a hospital procedure as a private patient, you probably assume your insurer will pick up the bill. But unfortunately health insurance doesn’t always cover 100% of the private hospital costs – sometimes there will be out-of-pocket costs, also known as Gaps. So what is a Gap?...
If you’re looking for cheaper health cover, corporate health insurance policies are definitely worth considering. Depending on the policy and what’s on offer, taking out a corporate health insurance policy could save you money and get you benefits that might not be available to the general public. Here’s everything you need to know about corporate policies...
If you’re among the 1.7 million Australians caring for someone with dementia, or you’ve been diagnosed with the condition yourself, you might be wondering whether private health insurance can help. While there isn’t a cure for dementia, there are many treatments that can help manage the condition. In this blog we’ll explain more about using health...
If you have both Hospital Cover and Extras Cover with one insurer, you might assume that those 2 policies are treated as one policy. It turns out you can have Hospital and Extras cover as ‘separate’ policies – also called ‘split’ or ‘second’ or ‘standalone’ policies, depending on the terminology your insurer uses. This can...
If you’ve visited a pharmacy lately you’ll know that medicines can be expensive, even when they’re subsidised by the government. The good news is that if you’re prescribed medication that isn’t subsidised by the government, you might be able claim back some of those costs on private health insurance, depending on your cover. Here’s what...
Private health insurance exists to help you access healthcare treatments or services that might otherwise be very expensive or out of reach. Even if you’re healthy now, you don’t know what’s ahead, and it can be reassuring to know that if you face a long waiting list in the public health system, you could be...
If you have a health condition and you’re worried it might disqualify you for health insurance, we have good news. In Australia, health insurers legally can’t deny you cover for a pre-existing condition nor for a family history of illness. But they can impose a waiting period, which means you won’t be able to claim...
If you want Hospital Cover that provides the bare essentials, Basic Hospital Cover could be your best bet. You’ll need to do your homework, though, as some Basic health insurance policies don’t provide much in the way of value – and they aren’t necessarily cheap, either. Using the healthslips.com.au Calculator, we found a $2,772.72 difference...