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...
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’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...
Whether it’s dental visits or private hospital treatment for grommets, there are lots of good reasons to have private health insurance for your kids. But with living costs rising, you might be wondering whether you can get away with insuring your children only, and going without health cover for yourself and your partner. So, does...
When you’re separating from your partner, there are a lot of tough decisions and arrangements to be made – especially when it comes to finances. One of the things you may need to do is change your health insurance policy and, if you have children together, decide how your children’s healthcare will be covered. We know...
For the 440,000+ Australians living with the impact of stroke, recovery can be a long journey. Rehabilitation after stroke is different for everyone, depending on how your brain is affected and how severe the stroke was. Here’s how private health insurance can help with the costs of recovery after a stroke. Your initial treatment will mostly...
If you’re a new migrant, we hope you’re enjoying life in Australia. One of the things you’ll need to think about as you adjust to life as an Aussie is our healthcare system. While many treatments and services are covered by Medicare, there are some advantages to taking out private health insurance. In some cases, getting...
If you’ve been diagnosed with heart disease, your doctors have probably given you lots of information about how to manage your condition. The good news is that some of the lifestyle changes to manage heart disease, and many heart disease treatments, are covered by private health insurance. There are 2 main types of health insurance –...
When you compare Extras Cover with Hospital Cover, you might ask yourself whether you need both. After all, Hospital Cover is there for health events that might involve hospital treatment, while Extras Cover (also known as general or ancillary cover) is often considered more for ‘health maintenance’. So if you want to save money on...