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...
Increased out-of-pocket costs for specialists are leading many Australians to delay or cancel specialist care, a recent study has found. A survey of 4,000 people by Private Healthcare Australia – peak body for the health insurance industry – found that 55% of people received a higher specialist bill than expected in the past 3 years, and almost one in 3 people had delayed or cancelled specialist care due to costs. The survey – which included 2,300 people...
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...
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Health insurer promotions include discounts, services, waivers, gifts or other offers that may be used by health insurers to appeal to new customers or incentivise existing customers. There are 2 types of insurer promotions which may reduce the price you finally pay for your policy. These include: For new customers: up to the equivalent of 12% of...
Health insurance from a well-known brand is not necessarily better than a lesser-known brand, since all health insurers are subject to the same government regulations. However larger insurance brands do have access to larger networks of healthcare providers and hospitals which may be beneficial for members. All health insurers in Australia are regulated by the Australian...
Most health insurers allow you to pay your premiums 12 months in advance, and a few allow payment up to 18 months ahead. Contact your insurer to ask how far in advance it allows payments.
The way you pay for health insurance could mean your insurer offers you reduced premiums of up to 12% per year on an ongoing basis. This may apply if you meet certain payment conditions, such as:
Generally, the term white labelling refers to the situation where products and services are made by one company but are sold by another company. This involves asking a company to make a product for you and then rebranding those products as your own and marketing them to your target audience.For example, a hairdresser enters an agreement...
As at 30 June 2025, 5 insurers controlled more than 80% of the Australian market. Insurer Market share Medibank (including ahm) 26.5% Bupa Health Insurance 25.5% HCF 12.8% nib 9.8% HBF 7.9% TOTAL 82.5% Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report 2024-25
As at April 2026, there were 30 registered private health insurers in Australia. These insurers are licensed by the Australian government to sell private health insurance. They are regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).An insurer must be registered to sell private health insurance in Australia.Some of these are open insurers.Others are restricted insurers. No....
In this Guide, we list all the private health insurers operating in Australia and explain how they are regulated.In Australia there are several different types of health insurers:This Guide is designed to help you find everything you need to know about private health insurers so you can make an informed decision about which one you...