Tony Abbott wrong about Private Health Insurance
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek has said that figures from the Private Health Insurance Administration Council showed that at 30 September 2012 the number of people covered for private hospital treatment increased 3.1% (317,860 extra people) since 30 September 2011.
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16 November 2012
Despite Tony Abbott’s doomsday predictions about people abandoning private health insurance, more Australians are now members of health funds than at any time in the past 37 years.
“Mr Abbott was wrong about Whyalla being wiped off the map, wrong about the death of the coal industry and wrong about millions of people dropping out of private health insurance,” said Health Minister Tanya Plibersek.
Ms Plibersek said the first quarter of health fund figures, which have measured membership numbers since the Gillard Government means-tested the private health insurance rebate, reveal a surge in new members.
In the September quarter, which began on the same day as means-testing, another 83,128 people joined health funds, taking the total number of Australians with hospital cover to almost 10.7 million or 46.9% of the population.”
She said figures released today by the Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) showed that as at 30 September 2012 the number of people covered for private hospital treatment increased 3.1% (317,860 extra people) since 30 September 2011, exceeding population growth of 1.6% for the same period.
In stark contrast to these figures, on February 14 this year the Opposition Leader told the House of Representatives:
“. . . about six million Australians will downgrade or abandon their private health insurance as a result of this means test.”
Means-testing the private health insurance rebate means that low and middle income Australians no longer subsidise the health insurance of higher income Australians.
Nearly eight million private health insurance policy holders haven’t been affected by the changes.
Individuals earning around $84,000 or less and couples and families earning around $168,000 or less are not affected. Individuals and families would need to be earning over $130,000 and $260,000 or more to lose the rebate entirely.
Treasury modelling estimates that, after these changes come into effect, 99.7% of people will remain in private health insurance, noting that Lifetime Health Cover and the Medicare Levy Surcharge will continue.
More information is available at Private Health Insurance Administration Council.
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