The number of Australians paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge at tax time continues to rise. New data from the Australian Tax Office shows the number of people who paid the Surcharge jumped from 768,537 in 2022-23, to 885,087 in 2023-24 – a 15% increase. The Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) applies to people who earn above the ATO income threshold and do not have Hospital Cover covering all members of their household. The thresholds...
Health insurance regulations mean top-level cover has increasingly become unaffordable for many Australians. That’s the finding in an Actuaries Digital article, which suggests that the 4 tiers – Basic, Bronze, Silver and Gold – should be restructured. The number of Australians with Gold tier policies has dropped from 95% in 2005 to just 30% in 2026, due to younger claimers being concentrated on expensive Gold policies. This means many people do not have access to services such as private maternity cover, assisted reproductive services...
Australians with health cover are paying larger out-of-pocket costs for private treatment than ever, new data shows. The average Gap for private hospital treatment has climbed to $511.02 – an increase of 8.4% from the previous quarter, according to the latest statistics from government regulator APRA (the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority). Average Gaps for Extras Cover have increased to $65.02 – a 3.4% rise. Orthopaedic procedures remain the most expensive when it comes to out-of-pocket costs, with...
The cost of raising children continues to rise, with policies for families among the hardest hit in the latest health insurance premium increases.Analysis by health insurance comparison site healthslips.com.au found increases to Family and Single Parent policies have risen higher than policies that don’t include children.The government announced health insurance premiums would rise by an...
Senior Australians are facing a double whammy of health insurance cost rises, putting extra pressure on wallets during the cost-of-living crisis. Changes to the Private Health Insurance Rebate, coupled with high premium increases to policies that meet health needs of people over 65, mean senior Australians will be hit doubly hard by new health insurance changes. Currently the Private Health Insurance Rebate reduces premiums for people on low incomes by up to 24.288%, with reductions...
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...
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No. You cannot remove someone aged 15 or older from your Medicare Card without their consent. They have to personally request to be removed from your Medicare Card.
How to add a newborn baby (under 52 weeks or one year) to your Medicare CardMedicare will add your newborn baby to your Medicare Card once they are enrolled in Medicare.You should enrol them as soon as possible.According to Medicare, a newborn baby is up to 52 weeks of age or their first birthday.After the...
Your Medicare number is on your Medicare Card:If you cannot find your Medicare Card, you can get your Medicare Number by contacting the Medicare Program on 132 011.
You can access a digital copy of your Medicare Card as soon as you enrol in Medicare.To access a digital copy:To access the Express Plus Medicare app, you need a myGov account linked to your Medicare Online account.
Your family can get a second Medicare Card with the same details.Medicare will provide an extra card when more than one family member needs a card. They will issue only one extra card.If a member of your family is over 15, they may want to get their own card.If you do not receive your card...
If you are aged over 15 and enrolled in Medicare, you can get your own Medicare Card.There are 2 steps to get your own card:You can be listed on 2 Medicare Cards. For example, if you are over 15, you can have your own card and also be listed on your parents’ card.You can also...
What to do if your Medicare Card is about to expireIf your Medicare Card is about to expire, you do not need to do anything.Medicare will send you a new Medicare Card about 4-8 weeks before your current card expires.It will be sent to the address you have already provided.What to do if your Medicare...
To enrol in Medicare, there are 3 steps:Once you have enrolled in Medicare, you will be given a Medicare Card, which looks like this:It usually takes 3-4 weeks for Medicare to send out your card.