Private Healthcare Australia

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

02/07/2026

We welcome the Federal Government's consultation on potential reforms to Australia's private health sector. This process provides an important opportunity to strengthen the long-term sustainability of our healthcare system while protecting the affordability of private health insurance.

More than 15 million Australians are investing in health insurance so they can receive health care where and when they want it. For that reason, every significant reform proposal must be supported by robust independent modelling of its likely impact on premiums before any decisions are made.

Any proposal that increases premiums risks making health insurance less affordable for Australian families. If people can no longer afford health insurance, participation falls, pressure shifts onto the public hospital system, and the sustainability of the entire private healthcare system is undermined.

Read more here: https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/private-health-system-reforms-must-keep-health-insurance-affordable/

30/06/2026

The Australian Government's proposal to reduce private health insurance rebates for Australians 65+ raises serious concerns for Australia’s ageing population and the broader healthcare system.

More than three million older Australians, including over 400,000 pensioners, could be impacted by reductions in support from 1 April 2027. If approved by Parliament, many older Australians could pay hundreds of dollars more each year to maintain the health insurance they rely on to access healthcare. Higher out-of-pocket costs may see more Australians becoming reliant on the public system, leading to increased demand on already stretched public hospitals.

This proposal is unfair. Instead, we support measures that keep healthcare affordable for all and sustainable for future generations.

See what others are saying about the Government's proposed changes below, and take action yourself here: https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/protect-your-rebate

25/06/2026

The Government has today introduced legislation that would increase the cost of health insurance for many Australians aged 65 and over from next year.

Older Australians across the country are telling us they are deeply concerned about what this will mean for their healthcare, their household budgets and pressure on public hospitals.

If you're affected by this proposal, now is the time to have your say. We've made it easy to contact your local Federal MP and share your views.

https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/protect-your-rebate/

Your voice matters. Tell your MP what this policy would mean for you and your family.