Private Healthcare Australia

12/10/2026

How many older Australians will lose their private health cover if the Government cuts their rebate?

The Government has said 44,000 people will drop their cover, or not take health insurance up, next year because of the proposed changes. But new documents revealed today by The Australian show the Department of Health expects that number to reach 78,000 by 2029–30.

Our research estimates the impact could be even broader: 62,000 people dropping their cover in the first year alone, with another 200,000 downgrading.

For older Australians, that could mean losing cover for common procedures they may need later in life and potentially turning to public hospitals for care.

It also leaves state and territory governments needing to plan for additional demand without a clear picture of the policy’s full impact.

Since the changes were announced in April, key information about who will be affected and the likely consequences has emerged in pieces.

Older Australians deserve the full picture. So do the governments responsible for our public hospitals.

We urge the Government to release comprehensive modelling and reconsider these proposed cuts.

Read more here:

Health Minister Mark Butler’s own department has forecast the number of older Australians dumping health insurance under Labor’s rebate cut will be nearly double the figure the government regularly quotes by the end of the decade.

08/10/2026

Today’s Senate committee report has reignited concerns about the Government’s proposed changes to the private health insurance rebate, with both the Greens and Coalition highlighting the potential impact on older Australians.

Private Healthcare Australia is urging the Government to reconsider the proposal, which the Parliamentary Budget Office estimates could affect around 1.5 million age pensioners.

Older Australians on fixed incomes should not be faced with difficult choices between maintaining their health cover and managing essential household costs. We remain concerned about the potential impact on pensioners, pressure on public hospitals, and broader health system consequences.

Read our full response to the Senate committee report here: https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/health-insurers-urge-the-government-to-reconsider-rebate-cut-set-to-impact-1-5-million-pensioners-after-senate-committee-recommends-the-bill-proceed/

23/09/2026

With private health insurance membership at a record high of 15.5 million Australians, more people are using their cover to access healthcare when they need it.

Our data reveals that in FY26;
- 5.28 million hospital treatment episodes funded
- 112.7 million extras services funded
- $27.8 billion paid towards members’ healthcare

Over the past year, health insurers increased payments for members’ healthcare by 7.5%, reflecting growing use of services across both hospital and extras cover.

These figures highlight the important role private health insurance plays in helping Australians access timely care and manage healthcare costs, while supporting capacity across the broader health system.

09/09/2026

As Senate hearings examine the Government’s proposal to reduce the higher private health insurance rebate for Australians aged 65 plus, a broad coalition is raising serious concerns.

- Older Australians are worried about affordability and being forced to reconsider their cover.
- Private hospitals warn more people leaving health insurance will close some private regional hospital services.
- Doctors are concerned about the loss of an important incentive for older Australians to maintain health cover when public hospitals are already under significant strain.
- Health funds are hearing directly from members who say higher premiums could force them out of cover or to downgrade.
- And state and territory governments are warning about the cost of treating more patients in the public system and how this will lengthen waiting lists.

This is an unusually broad consensus: older Australians, consumer and seniors groups, doctors, hospitals, health funds and governments are all raising the same concern.

Reducing the higher rebate will make health insurance more expensive for millions of older Australians and risks pushing tens of thousands out of cover just when they are most likely to need access to healthcare.

The Senate should listen to people on the front line and recommend changes to this policy.

24/08/2026

In addition to providing access to rapid private hospital treatment, health insurance helps many older Australians access dental, physio, optical and other allied health services that support healthy ageing.

If older Australians are forced to drop or downgrade their cover due to the Government’s rebate proposal, they risk losing access to both hospital and everyday healthcare services that support independence and maintain quality of life.

The impact will extend beyond individuals. As more people rely on the public hospital system, waiting lists for care will grow.

We need federal health policy that supports affordable health insurance, encourages preventative care, and maintains a sustainable balance between the public and private health systems.

We are urging the Government to reconsider their planned changes to reduce the health insurance rebate for Australians aged 65 and over. More here: https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/health-insurance-rebate-cuts-will-push-older-australians-onto-longer-hospital-waiting-lists/

20/08/2026

The Federal Government’s plan to reduce the Private Health Insurance Rebate for Australians aged 65 and older would affect more than 3.2 million Australians, including at least 470,000 age pensioners.

We asked older Australians about what they think of the proposal, and the message was clear: many believe the policy is unfair and could place additional pressure on our public health system.

For older Australians already facing rising cost-of-living pressures, higher private health insurance costs could make it harder to maintain the cover they rely on.

We encourage policymakers to carefully consider the broader impacts on older Australians, their families, private hospitals, and state-run public hospitals before proceeding.

Listen to the public’s view below.
https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/protect-your-rebate/

11/08/2026

As Paul Lupo, CEO of St Lukes, writes in the Mercury, there’s growing concern about the Federal Government's proposal to remove the higher health insurance rebate for Australians aged 65 and over.

Older Australians have spent decades doing exactly what governments encouraged them to do: maintain health insurance and invest in their future healthcare. The proposed changes will make that cover less affordable for many retirees, causing them to rely on the stretched public hospital system instead.

Research conducted by RedBridge Group found Australians across generations reject the idea that this policy delivers "intergenerational fairness", with concerns it will lengthen waiting times in the public system for all.

With an ageing population and rising demand for healthcare, policy decisions should support access to care, not create new barriers to it.
https://www.stlukes.com.au/news/a-lifetime-of-investment-deserves-a-fair-return

04/08/2026

Healthcare is evolving, and Australians are increasingly seeking care that is more accessible, flexible and tailored to their needs.

Innovative at-home alcohol detox programs are a great example of how health funds are supporting new models of care that help people access evidence-based treatment closer to home.

Historically, medically supervised alcohol withdrawal was often only available through a hospital admission, creating barriers for many people, particularly those in rural and regional communities, and those balancing work, family or caring responsibilities.

By supporting supervised care delivered through telehealth and community-based models, health funds are helping expand access, improve early intervention and ensure more Australians can receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Watch the story here:

A course delivered entirely via telehealth has turned lives around....

16/07/2026

A Senate committee is examining the Government's proposal to reduce the higher private health insurance rebate for Australians aged 65+.

If this change would affect you or your family, tell the Senate what it would mean for you.

You don't need to write a long submission. Even a short email explaining your own experience will inform the inquiry.

We've put together a simple guide explaining exactly how to make a submission in just a few minutes.

Find out how: https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/protect-your-rebate/

Submissions close 21 August.

09/07/2026

New data from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows:

🔹 3 in 5 Australians are now living with at least one chronic condition such as diabetes or cancer.
🔹 Excess weight and obesity have overtaken to***co use as the leading risk factor contributing to disease burden.
🔹 One-third of disease burden could be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors such as alcohol consumption
🔹 Mental health service use continues to grow, with 1 in 10 Australians accessing Medicare-subsidised support in 2024–25.

These trends are driving health funds to:
- Offer more preventative care so people can stay well for longer
- Encourage screening and early detection of disease so it can be more easily treated
- Deliver care in new ways so people can better manage chronic conditions such as depression.

Read the full report here: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/australias-health-2026/contents/key-findings