The government has announced it will investigate health insurers for using a loophole to raise their prices. In December last year, Minister of Health Mark Butler warned health insurers to stop ‘phoenixing’ policies after a Commonwealth Ombudsman report brought the practice to light. By law, health insurers can only raise prices once a year, but...
Most Australians will pay more for health insurance next week due to a reduction in a rebate designed to make health cover cheaper. Cuts to the Private Health Insurance Rebate take effect on April 1 at the same time as most policies are increasing in price by an average of 3.7% – which adds up...
Out-of-pocket payments for Private Health Insurance claims continue to rise, putting more pressure on Australian households during the cost-of-living crisis. New data from Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), which regulates the health insurance industry, found a 7% increase in Gaps paid for Hospital Cover claims for the quarter finishing December 2024, compared with the same...
Health insurance will increase by an average of 3.7% in April – the highest premium increase since 2018. Every year health insurers are allowed to raise their premiums only once. This year, Minister of Health Mark Butler rejected insurers’ proposed increases (reportedly up to 6%) at least twice before agreeing on an average premium increase...
Australian private health insurers have been criticised for using a loophole to raise the prices of Gold Cover policies. This week the Commonwealth Ombudsman found evidence some insurers have been raising prices through ‘product phoenixing’ – closing existing policies to new customers, and creating almost identical policies at a higher price. As a result, new...
Australians with Private Health Insurance are paying higher out-of-pocket payments for hospital treatment than a year ago, new data shows. The latest statistics from Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), which regulates the health insurance industry, show out-of-pocket fees for private hospital treatment increased by 8% in the 12 months from October 2023 to September 2024....
If you’ve used health insurance to pay for surgery in a private hospital or clinic, check your bill to make sure you haven’t been charged a Gap incorrectly. That’s the advice from Private Healthcare Australia, the peak body for the health insurance industry, after allegations that some specialists (including surgeons and anaesthetists) have been ‘double...
A ‘health tax’ passed by NSW government last week means NSW residents could face higher premiums for health insurance in 2025. The new legislation means the state government can increase its existing tax on private health insurance if insurers do not agree to pay a higher ‘bed rate’ of $892 for private patients in public...
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If you have Private Health Insurance, you may in certain situations receive treatment more quickly than someone without Private Health Insurance. Receiving treatment at a private hospital can be very expensive. Most people who elect to go to a private hospital for surgery have Hospital Cover. This insurance helps them pay for the cost of...
Why don’t private health insurers cover the cost of appointments with my GP or specialist? In Australia, Medicare covers some or all of the cost of appointments with your General Practitioner (GP) or specialist. GPs and specialists have the legal right to run their practices as private businesses. This means they can charge whatever fees...
How to decide whether you need private health insurance When deciding whether you need private health insurance, consider the advantages and disadvantages to make the best decision for your situation. If you buy Hospital Cover, the main benefit is that it helps you pay for the cost of being treated as a private patient in...
Private health insurance works on the basis that you take out a policy and pay an insurer a monthly premium. In return, the insurer provides you with health cover. Depending on the policy you take out, private health insurance helps you pay for: If you want both Hospital Cover and Extras Cover, you can take...
In Australia, Private Health Insurance is community rated not risk rated. Community rated means a private health insurer must offer its policies at the same price irrespective of an individual’s risk factors, such as:
About private health insurance In Australia, private health insurance is health insurance offered by registered private insurers. You can buy a private health insurance policy (Hospital Cover) to help cover the cost of being treated in hospital as a private patient rather than a public patient covered by Medicare. You can also take out a...
Does private health insurance cover visits to a non-GP specialist? No. Private health insurance does not cover visits to see a non-GP specialist in their consulting rooms. Instead, visits to a non-GP specialist in their consulting rooms are covered by Medicare. If you are enrolled with Medicare, it will pay some or all of the...
Does private health insurance cover visits to a GP? No. Private health insurance does not cover visits to see a General Practitioner (GP). Instead, visits to the GP are covered by Medicare. If you are enrolled with Medicare, it will pay some or all of the cost: