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’re among the 2.7 million Australians living with asthma, you’ll be all too aware of the need to be proactive about your health. According to the 2021 Census, asthma is the third most common long-term health condition in Australia (behind mental health conditions and arthritis). So do you need health insurance for asthma? Here’s...
The Individual Reference Number (IRN) on your Medicare Card is the number before your name. It ensures the correct service is billed to the correct person listed on your card.You can find it here:
You can contact Medicare in 2 ways:To give feedback to Medicare, you have 2 ways:
No. At present, you cannot add your Medicare Card to your Apple Wallet.The only way to get a digital Medicare Card is to use the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.To access the Express Plus Medicare mobile app:
No. At present, you cannot add your Medicare Card to the Service NSW app to avoid juggling multiple apps or carrying a physical card.Your digital Medicare Card is available only through the Services Australia Express Plus Medicare mobile app.
To get a linking code from Medicare to link your myGov to Medicare, follow these steps:To successfully get your linking code, the name you have recorded with myGov must match your name recorded with Medicare.
To link your myGov account to Medicare, follow these steps:
How to update my name, date of birth, gender, address or banking details with MedicareYou can update your personal details (such as name, address, banking details, date of birth or gender) with Medicare in 3 ways:You need to notify Medicare in these cases:How to update my details with Medicare if I am affected by domestic...