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...
Some ACT residents are being hit with shock bills for public hospital treatment, new figures show. Following news this week that health insurance premiums for ACT residents may rise by at least $180 next year, an analysis of billing records has revealed the high Gaps being paid for Canberra hospital treatment. Data from Private Healthcare Australia...
With public hospitals under strain, health insurers are paying out greater sums for private patient treatment, new data shows. Quarterly health insurance statistics released by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, which regulates the industry, showed a significant increase in the amount paid for Hospital Cover claims in the June 2025 quarter. Health insurers paid $4.98 billion...
New data from the Australian Tax Office shows that the number of people being charged the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) has almost quadrupled over 6 years. Data found 768,537 Aussies paid the MLS in the 2022-23 financial year, up from 196,807 in 2017. An article in The Australian says the increase is due to rising wages. The...
Australians treated with natural therapies may soon be able to claim rebates on Extras Cover. Following a review completed last year, the government has reinstated 7 of the 16 natural therapies that were removed from private health insurance cover in 2019. The health insurance industry is now developing framework to cover: Private Healthcare Australia, the peak body for...
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If you want more health cover than a Basic policy, a Bronze Hospital Cover policy could be a good choice, providing cover on 21 of the 38 hospital clinical categories which can be claimed on private health insurance. But that doesn’t mean all Bronze health insurance policies give you the same level of value –...
If you’re looking for the best Silver health insurance in Australia, price will naturally be one of the big factors in your decision. But you also need to consider what you get for that policy – paying more for a policy doesn’t automatically mean better cover. Unlike most health-insurance comparison websites, here at healthslips.com.au we’re across...
When it comes to Gold tier Hospital Cover, not all policies are created equal. While Gold tier policies provide the maximum Hospital Cover – which means they cover ALL 38 clinical categories health insurers are allowed to cover – that doesn’t mean they provide the amount of value, per se. And they certainly aren’t priced...
As the cost-of-living crisis continues in Australia, knowing how to save money on health insurance could pay off – literally. As experts on private health insurance, we at healthslips.com.au have plenty of great hacks for reducing the cost of private health insurance. Here’s our round-up of the best tips. Change your excess If you’re admitted to hospital...
If you’re a young and healthy Australian, do you really need health insurance, since you can get public hospital treatment for free under Medicare? And if you’re an older Australian, is it worth getting health insurance, even though it might cost you more? There’s no best age to get health insurance, but there are lots...
Like any aspect of life that’s complicated, health insurance is an area that’s shrouded in myths and misconceptions. Since some of those misconceptions could be costing you money, we at healthslips.com.au – your health insurance experts – are here to sort fact from fiction. To help you get health insurance savvy, here are some of the...
Maybe you’ve just finished studying or you’re moving out of home. Maybe you’ve entered your 30s or got married. Whatever your reasons for getting your own health insurance in your 20s instead of relying on your parents’ health cover, it’s a good feeling to be taking control of your finances and becoming independent. It can,...
When you look at your bank statement, health insurance is probably one of the higher costs appearing in the ‘money out’ column. Private health insurance can certainly comprise a large chunk of most Aussie household budgets, especially when you consider premiums usually increase every year. Here are some of the reasons health insurance costs so...