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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A co-payment is the amount you agree to pay if you have Hospital Cover and are admitted to hospital. It means you have to make a contribution each time the health insurer pays hospital benefits for you.Usually, you pay a co-payment for each day of hospitalisation up to an annual amount or admission amount.Most health...
What is a Hospital Cover excess? An excess is the lump sum you must pay if you have Hospital Cover and are admitted into hospital as a private patient.It is your contribution towards a claim you make on your Hospital Cover.Generally, if you agree to pay a higher excess for your Hospital Cover, you pay less...
When you take out private health insurance, you cannot make a claim immediately. Private health insurers impose waiting periods before you can make a claim under your new Hospital Cover or Extras Cover policy or when upgrading your policy.Waiting periods for Hospital CoverThe Australian government sets the maximum waiting periods that can be set for hospital...
About private health insurance premiumsA private health insurance premium is the amount you pay each month or year for:How do increases in health insurance premiums work?Your private health insurance premium may increase when hospital, medical or other health costs rise. They can also increase if health insurer members increase their use of health services.If your...
A Private Health Information Statement (PHIS) is available for every private health insurance policy in Australia.Under Australian law, private health insurers are required to provide these statements so you can review your existing policy and compare policies.There are 3 types of Private Health Information Statement: Type of cover What does it include? Hospital Cover –...
Questions to ask to find the right health insurance policy for youWhen choosing a private health insurance policy, it pays to do your research and understand whether a policy will actually serve your needs.Consider the following questions:Who do you need cover for?Health insurers offer different policies for each of these categories.A child dependant is a...
The best way to compare private health insurance policies is to use our healthslips.com.au Calculator.Unlike other private health insurance comparison websites, we:We can also help you compare your existing policy with other similar policies on the market.Finally, our Calculator can help you calculate whether you:
Two ways you can save paying tax by taking out private health insuranceThere are 2 ways you can save paying tax by taking out private health insurance:Private Health Insurance RebateIf you earn under a certain income and take out private health insurance, you can claim the Private Health Insurance Rebate.The Rebate operates as a discount...