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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These are the factors which do not impact on your health insurance premium and the price you will ultimately pay: Your age does not affect your health insurance premium. However your age may make you eligible for an Age-based Discount, which will reduce the price you pay for your policy if you are under 30, or...
These are the factors which impact your health insurance price you will ultimately pay. You will pay more for a policy that covers 2 or more adults than you would for a policy that only covers you. However you have the option to stay on your own policy even if you are in a relationship or...
There are 3 steps to find your cheapest health insurance price and it is important to understand how each step impacts the price you pay. Steps to calculating your cheapest health insurance Impact on premium Step 1 Calculate new policy Government-approved premium Compare existing policy Government-approved premium Step 2 Calculate Government Rebate Decreases your health...
In this Guide, we provide an overview of what affects the final price you may pay for Private Health Insurance and also answer your common questions about the cost of health insurance. This Guide explains:
A Private Health Insurance Statement is a document you may need to complete your tax return.It is different from a Private Health Information Statement (PHIS), which contains information about your Hospital Cover or Extras Cover and private health insurance premiums. The Private Health Insurance Statement helps you complete the section of the tax return that determines...
It is easy to cancel your private health insurance.You can cancel at any time and your health insurer is obliged to refund any contributions you have made in advance.Usually, you do not need to contact your insurer to cancel your policy – your new insurer will take care of the cancellation process for you. However...
Transferring to a different health insurer is easy.Take these 4 steps:
If you are unhappy with your private health insurance or have an issue with your health insurer, take these 4 steps: