HEALTH – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Private Health Insurance will change April 1 – but most Australians have no idea

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 1-Apr-19

Roy Morgan’s 2019 Private Health Insurance Survey shows that 57.3% of Australians aged 18+ are unaware of changes to private health insurance that take effect on 1 April. Some 53.8% of Australians with private health insurance are aware of the changes, which will categorise health insurance products according to tiers of cover, while 80.6% of Australians without health insurance are largely unaware of the changes. Meanwhile, 31.4% of Australians who are aware of the upcoming changes believe that the reforms will be of benefit to them, 29.3% do not think they will benefit them at all, and a further 39.3% are unsure if the changes will be of any benefit. The survey is based on a representative sample of 1,036 Australians aged 18+.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Surcharge may have to rise for high earners

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 6-Jan-16

Private Healthcare Australia notes that the cost of private health insurance is now rising faster than growth in wages. This has resulted in many people being financially better off by paying the Medicare levy rather than taking out health insurance. Private Healthcare Australia has suggested that increasing the Medicare levy may be necessary to provide an incentive for people on high incomes to join a health insurance fund.

CORPORATES
PRIVATE HEALTHCARE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Coalition looks to insurance rebate tweak

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 29-Sep-15

The Australian Government may consider changes to the private health insurance rebate. Health Minister Sussan Ley says feedback from consumers shows that the introduction of means-testing for the rebate has resulted in higher out-of-pocket costs and forced some consumers to downgrade their insurance coverage. Income-based means-testing for the 30 per cent rebate was introduced by the former Australian Labor Party government.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA

Health cover costs could rise by 7pc

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Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 22-Jan-15

Australian Health Minister Sussan Ley is expected to approve health insurance premium increases as high as seven per cent from 1 April 2015. Health insurance firms argue that rises of up to triple the rate of inflation are justified because of increased use of services, rising care costs and costs associated with technological progress

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, NIB HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NHF, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, WESTFUND HEALTH INSURANCE, CONSUMER HEALTH FORUM, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION