Claim the Rebate as a reduction in the insurance premium you pay to your health insurer.
There are 2 ways you can save paying tax by taking out Private Health Insurance:
If you earn under a certain income and take out private health insurance, you can claim the Private Health Insurance Rebate.
The Rebate operates as a discount you receive on the price of your Private Health Insurance.
Depending on your income and age, the Rebate can be as much as 32.812%.
You can claim the Rebate in 2 ways:
Option 1:
Claim the Rebate as a reduction in the insurance premium you pay to your health insurer.
Option 2:
Claim the Rebate as a tax deduction when lodging your annual tax return.
If you earn over a certain income and do not have Hospital Cover, you may have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge.
You can avoid paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge by taking out Hospital Cover.
The Medicare Levy Surcharge is calculated at a rate of 1% to 1.5% of your income and the rate depends on how much you earn. You have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge on top of the Medicare Levy of 2% paid by most Australian taxpayers.