Private Health Insurance Rebate Changes – TAKE THE SURVEY Fix Private Health Insurance for Older Australians – SIGN PETITION HERE.
To understand what these age based private health insurance changes could mean in reality, we are asking people to complete a short 5 -minute survey with a few follow-up questions about the impact on your household budget and your private health cover.
The Federal Parliament must reject proposed private health insurance rebate changes or risk putting even greater pressure on millions of pensioners and Australia’s already stretched public health system, COTA Australia says.
New modelling showing almost half of the $3 billion cut to the private health insurance rebate will come directly from pensioners should prompt an urgent rethink of the Federal Government’s plans, COTA Australia says.
Axing the higher private health insurance rebate for older Australians risks hitting 1.2 million pensioners with higher costs and putting even greater pressure on already stretched public hospitals, COTA Australia says.
Many older Australians have paid private health insurance premiums for decades. Now, just as they are more likely to need health care, Government are proposing to cut the age-based rebate that helps keep their cover affordable. If you don’t agree, add your support and sign our petition!
Revelations that 1.2 million pensioners will be directly affected by proposed changes to the private health insurance rebate are further evidence the changes need to be urgently reviewed, COTA Australia says.
COTA Australia’s submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee argues that removing the age-based private health insurance rebate would deepen an existing structural healthcare inequity, as well as make private health insurance unaffordable for most older Australians.
Research conducted by COTA Australia found many older Australians are questioning whether they will be able to afford to keep their private health insurance if the Government proceeds with plans to abolish the higher private health insurance rebate for people over 65.
COTA Australia Chief Executive Officer Patricia Sparrow said research conducted by COTA Australia backed other research which shows that seniors are looking to drop their private health insurance cover if the Federal Government pushes ahead with its planned changes.
COTA Australia welcomes the package of reforms to private health insurance announced this morning by the Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt, and commends the government for its ongoing commitment to simplifying private health insurance and making it more affordable.
September 2017 – Older Australians remain strong subscribers of PHI (with 52.6% of people over the age of 65 retaining coverage)1 despite generally much lower incomes and greater difficulty meeting premiums and out-of-pocket costs after retirement.
August 2017 – COTA Australia appreciates the opportunity to provide brief comments to the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee Inquiry into the Value and Affordability of Private Health Insurance and Out-of-Pocket Costs.