Private Healthcare Australia (PHA)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Patients considering using their private health insurance in a public hospital will receive clearer, more consistent information about their rights from today, with the rollout of a new national claim form backed by private health insurers to improve transparency around private patient elections.

Serious gaps in the Government’s understanding of who will be affected by its plan to cut the higher health insurance rebate for older Australians have been exposed at Budget Estimates this week.