Statement from AHIA regarding speculation the Rudd Government plans to dismantle the Private Health Insurance Rebate

08 May 2009Media Releases

If the story appearing in today’s Australian is correct, the Rudd government looks set to dismantle the 30% Rebate.

This is despite the fact that Labor promised the voters at the 2007 election that they would maintain the existing private health insurance rebates.

Such a move to undermine the private health rebate would be bad policy and extremely bad politics.

It will not deliver one better health outcome for patients.

You can’t plug a Budget hole by forcing more Australians onto public hospital waiting lists.

A complex policy proposal such as that reported in The Australian could only be devised by a bureaucrat, who doesn’t understand how the health system works.

Contact: Jen Eddy 02 6202 1000