The government has announced it will investigate health insurers for using a loophole to raise their prices. In December last year, Minister of Health Mark Butler warned health insurers to stop ‘phoenixing’ policies after a Commonwealth Ombudsman report brought the practice to light. By law, health insurers can only raise prices once a year, but...
Most Australians will pay more for health insurance next week due to a reduction in a rebate designed to make health cover cheaper. Cuts to the Private Health Insurance Rebate take effect on April 1 at the same time as most policies are increasing in price by an average of 3.7% – which adds up...
Out-of-pocket payments for Private Health Insurance claims continue to rise, putting more pressure on Australian households during the cost-of-living crisis. New data from Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), which regulates the health insurance industry, found a 7% increase in Gaps paid for Hospital Cover claims for the quarter finishing December 2024, compared with the same...
Health insurance will increase by an average of 3.7% in April – the highest premium increase since 2018. Every year health insurers are allowed to raise their premiums only once. This year, Minister of Health Mark Butler rejected insurers’ proposed increases (reportedly up to 6%) at least twice before agreeing on an average premium increase...
Australian private health insurers have been criticised for using a loophole to raise the prices of Gold Cover policies. This week the Commonwealth Ombudsman found evidence some insurers have been raising prices through ‘product phoenixing’ – closing existing policies to new customers, and creating almost identical policies at a higher price. As a result, new...
Australians with Private Health Insurance are paying higher out-of-pocket payments for hospital treatment than a year ago, new data shows. The latest statistics from Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), which regulates the health insurance industry, show out-of-pocket fees for private hospital treatment increased by 8% in the 12 months from October 2023 to September 2024....
If you’ve used health insurance to pay for surgery in a private hospital or clinic, check your bill to make sure you haven’t been charged a Gap incorrectly. That’s the advice from Private Healthcare Australia, the peak body for the health insurance industry, after allegations that some specialists (including surgeons and anaesthetists) have been ‘double...
A ‘health tax’ passed by NSW government last week means NSW residents could face higher premiums for health insurance in 2025. The new legislation means the state government can increase its existing tax on private health insurance if insurers do not agree to pay a higher ‘bed rate’ of $892 for private patients in public...
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There are 3 scenarios when you may have to pay out-of-pocket fees for treatments outside of hospital: What are the out-of-pocket fees for medical tests outside hospital? If Medicare covers your diagnostic test outside a hospital, such as blood tests and radiology services, it will pay 85% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Fee. If the...
No, you do not need to serve waiting periods again for Hospital Cover if you change insurers and take out a new policy at the same level of cover as your existing policy. However if you are changing to a higher tier of cover, waiting periods will apply for the new services and treatments (known...
No. You cannot add your parents to your health insurance policy. They will need their own Private Health Insurance cover.
The cost of health insurance depends on factors such as the insurer and your level of cover, and there is a wide variation in prices and inclusions, so it is important to look for the best-priced policy that suits your health needs. To do this, use the healthslips.com.au Calculator to find your cheapest health insurance...
There are 2 incentives and one penalty provided by the government to encourage you to take out Private Health Insurance. The incentives for health insurance may reduce the price you ultimately pay. The incentives are: Government Rebate Also known as the Private Health Insurance Rebate, the Government Rebate reduces your health insurance premium. The Rebate...
These are the factors which do not impact on your health insurance premium and the price you will ultimately pay: Your age does not affect your health insurance premium. However your age may make you eligible for an Age-based Discount, which will reduce the price you pay for your policy if you are under 30,...
These are the factors which impact your health insurance price you will ultimately pay. You will pay more for a policy that covers 2 or more adults than you would for a policy that only covers you. However you have the option to stay on your own policy even if you are in a relationship...
There are 3 steps to find your cheapest health insurance price and it is important to understand how each step impacts the price you pay. Steps to calculating your cheapest health insurance Impact on premium Step 1 Calculate new policy Government-approved premium Compare existing policy Government-approved premium Step 2 Calculate Government Rebate Decreases your health...