Private Healthcare Australia has welcomed the Government’s move to address excessive fees charged by specialist doctors with a range of potential measures including caps on fees and incentives to encourage more bulk billing.
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Health insurance rebate cuts will push older Australians onto longer hospital waiting lists
Hundreds of thousands of older Australians are expected to lose access to private health services, including common surgical procedures and dental care, under the Government’s proposal to slash the higher health insurance rebate for people aged 65 plus.
Why payment integrity matters for every health insurance member
By Dr Rachel David When Australians pay their health insurance premiums, they expect that money to be there when they need healthcare. It sounds obvious. But it means health funds have a responsibility to make sure that money is being used for its intended purpose. In the year to March 2026, health funds paid more than $27 billion to hospitals and other healthcare providers, including dental, optical and physiotherapy services. When you are responsible for managing that much of your members’ money, you cannot simply pay every claim without checking that it is legitimate, the service was provided and the…
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New polling reveals strong opposition to the Government’s health insurance rebate cut
New research has revealed strong opposition to the Albanese Government’s plan to slash the higher private health insurance rebate for Australians aged 65 and over, with most people across Australia questioning the fairness of the policy and supporting alternatives.
Who really has health insurance in Australia? The answer might surprise you.
By Dr Rachel David One of the biggest misconceptions about health insurance in Australia is that it’s mainly something for wealthy people. The latest Australian Taxation Office data tells a very different story. More than 9.3 million Australians who lodged a tax return in 2023–24 had health insurance. When you look at who those Australians actually are, you find that health insurance is held by a remarkably broad cross-section of the community. More than one-third of insured Australians reported annual taxable incomes below the national median taxable income. Three in five had taxable incomes of $90,000 or less, and more…
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Private health system reforms must keep health insurance affordable
Private Healthcare Australia has welcomed the Federal Government’s consultation on potential reforms to Australia’s private health sector, saying the process provides an important opportunity to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the system while protecting the affordability of private health insurance.
Private Healthcare Facts
Why Private Health Insurance Matters
Private cover helped Karen’s daughter with juvenile arthritis
Gemma was 18 months old when she was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. Since then, she’s had countless operations on both her feet and knees.
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Cameron was grateful to have private cover after a serious workplace accident
Countless physio sessions covered by his private insurance meant he could get back on the slopes sooner
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Jenna’s childbirth complications were eased with private cover
Suffering preeclampsia and requiring an emergency c-section, Jenna was thankful her private heath cover was there to help every step along the way.
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