Save Your Rebate
Update on Campaign: 15 Feb 2012
Thank you for your continued support of the 30 % Rebate and Private Health Insurance.
Unfortunately, the legislation to means test the rebate passed through the lower house today and now an uncertain period lies ahead for Australia’s health system.
The passage of the means-testing legislation through the Lower House signals a shift in the balance of Australian healthcare.
The consequence of the Gillard Government’s decision to means-test the 30% Rebate is that Australians needing healthcare will be torn between increasing costs and longer waiting lists.
Private Healthcare Australia has consistently cautioned that means-testing the 30% Rebate will force people out of the private healthcare sector and into the public system, and it will force premiums up for those who remain in private
cover.
In the 2011 Budget the government confirmed its commitment to push ahead with the 2009 Budget measure to propose that the 30% rebate on the premiums paid by private health insurance holders would be subject to a means test.
The proposed policy change introduces three ‘Private Health Insurance Incentive Tiers’ based on income thresholds.
It’s meant to target the rich, but a new report shows that as health fund members drop or downgrade their cover health insurance will become more expensive for everyone.
Join our campaign to make the Government rethink and help Save Your Rebate.
Sign our petition to help inform federal members of Parliament of your view and ask that they reject the mean test
Calculate your rebate to understand how how your rebate may change under the government’s proposal
Register your support for the rebate and become an active member and champion for the campaign
Australians currently enjoy the benefits of a strong, balanced health care system. Means-testing the 30% Rebate on Private Health Insurance will put that at risk.
Still want to know more about how these changes may affect you, read our FAQs
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Comments
I’m a single person with a single income. After the mortgage and other household expenses there will not be much left for private health. I’ve stayed paying it because of the 30% rebate. Now they will take that away from me and I’m not sure I can afford private health any longer. People forget that single income is just that, single income, it is very hard paying the mortgage by yourself. People in the labor party should try it sometime. I’m also dirty that I heard the 30% rebate will be used to fund public dental for those people who are deemed disadvantaged? ie again, we’ve got to pay for. Get a job!
i am a mum with a baby and a hubby with a brain injury .. we are struggling to survive we get no centrelink benefits no government hand outs i work 60+ hours a week plus uni and i get no help because i earn to much !!! but i feel like the government isnt listening to anyone they are just doing all the damage and not taking on any of the consequences ….. is it just me but i feel like my hard work is being penalized and what they take from me they give to bludgers who dont deserve it …. the rebate is just another example ….why is it Australians arent being heard im so mad and upset i want to cry and it seems no one cares an no one can do anything about it
I dont think I should be penalised
to support the Government’s bottom
line just in their aim to balance their
budget when they waste our money in such a scandelous way . I am a self funded retiree who has supported myself since 1984.
‘
Yours sincerely, Robert MedlowIve just worked out that my premiums will rise next year of
$22 per month – general fee increase and ..
$56 per month due to rebate removal.That $56 per month equates to around TWO FULL WORKING DAYS just to pay for it
Tanya P – hope you are prepared to be the second most hated woman in Australia behind your mate Gillard
I am saddened to hear that the Government would be so complacent as to cut the rebate. The impact of this will be felt by us all with lots of people cancelling their private health cover and therefore relying on the public system solely. I also fail to see how $160,000 earn for a couple is considered wealthy. Could someone tell me why, as a couple, my husband and I pay near $40,000 p.a in tax to the Govt. This is an excessive amount of money to extort from hardworking families who already have the burden of mortgage, cars, fuel, elec and gas, insurances, groceries ever increasing and handing over a great amount of our hard earned dollars gained by missing out on quality time with our families – because we are at work to keep our selves self reliant and avoid the welfare office. Heck I also just got a letter from the taxation office to say that I have to pay back the education rebate as I am not entitled to it for the past 3 years due to our excessive income. I can only see a dismal future with prices ever increasing along with taxes also as the govermnent both federal and state look to you and I the average Joe Blow to fund the country because they are selling off anything that makes them money for a short term gain. Very unfair and very sad times.
It will certainly affect my vote in the next election. I am sick of the honest working people being penalised
Cut the rebate I’ll drop the cover we could sure use the extra $200 a month anyway .
The current media stories are all about the “rich” being subsidised by the poor and that these people deserve to lose the rebate. I really don’t think that a family with an income of $160,000 would be considered “rich” when the cost of living is so high and it is so expensive to raise a family. Now the government wants to put more stress on these families. Sure, means test the rebate, but make it apply to the truly “rich”, say incomes in excess of $250,000pa.
Please do not do it!
Please think carefully before removing this vital incentive & ultimately making public health costs greater & less affordable for Govt. & ordinary people.
At 76 yo & a lifetime of contributing to privatr health (60 yrs) it seems grossly unfair.Yes drop the increase and we can all drop private health that would be good for the government wouldn’t it – even with health cover a brain scan will still set the person back $200. My husband gets no pension because I still work and so its my income only. We have no super because my husband left work at 62 because of depression – and it makes his depression worse because of the constant struggle with all the other expenses, electricity, gas etc. We have no government worth voting for they are all in it for themselves, how many of them shop for groceries and travel by public transport, have children attending public schools and look at fuel costs perhaps if they did they would see the needs of ordinary folk.
I have always been health fund recipient,I am in my 82nd year, and need to look after myself, and husband 87yrs,
We live in our home, and are not a burden on the government, do have a pension,so why does the government more from the older Australians, keep the rebate, and help the young and the older Aussies lead a healthier life.I’m 73 and had private health insurance since 17. I am heartily disgusted with all the ‘incentives’ given to people to catch the ‘hop on, hop off’ private health coverage today. Cut these incentives for the greedy foolish and give the loyal members their rebates.
They have the audacity to hint at taking our health insurance away yet they award them self ridiculous bonuses. No one will afford private health insurance but them how selfish can this government be!!
already members are struggling with electricty rising food prices carbon tax rates,car costs needed on the central coast.well something will have to give i personally am a carer for my aged mother which puts me on centrelink have to use my sons youth allowance to get by i pay for health insurance,which means we dont get as good quality fruit and vegies,school excursions ?? outing with a friend?? we could go on and on
Being a self-funded retiree and having had private health for approx. 20 years I am finding that the annual increases are making it more difficult to continue. If the rebate is reduced I will have no choice but to cancel my private health and become totally dependent on the public health system. Surely this is not of benefit to anyone!
It is common sense to retain the 30% Rebate for without it many families will not be able to afford private health cover thus over burdening the already stressed public health system. So don’t means test the Rebate!
Please keep the 30% rebate. I have been in HBF for at least the last 45 years and will not be able to afford it if the 30% gets cut out. It is already becoming increasingly more difficult to meet the increased cost of living and this would just put it over the top. I am an aged pensioner and deserve to be able to go to a private hospital should the need for one ever arise.
Another bad economical decision imposed by our government. Australians pay income tax, GST, flood levy tax, soon carbon tax, to name a few. Now they’ve introduced penalizations in private health cover for earning above a certain amount (determined by the gov as ‘high income’ but in actual fact based on the average Australian income it’s not high but rather the standard) and as result adding pressure to the already deteriorating public health care system. What are the benefits in having this government? We need an early election!
What is the point of working hard to be finacially independent when all the goverment does is penalize us. I know I will not be entitled to any pension or benifits when I retire and yet they still want to take more from us.
I am oldaged pensioner who it appears will not lose rebate but will have to pay bigger subs as membership decreases.
I am too upset to make a coment
and hope for an election soon. MS
What annoys me is the Govt taking the line that I am being subsidized by people on low incomes … hello!!
I pay over $24k a year in tax PLUS my Medicare levy AND choose to co-contribute to my health care costs by having private health insurance
The Govt has the hide to tell me that the $500 rebate that they give me out of my $24k is coming from low income families …. YEH RIGHT!!!!
I think if the government is going to penalise us for doing the right thing then we should demand an itemised account of where our hard earned tax dollars are going and what they are spending it on. My husband works very hard and very long hours for his money and our family pays for that in his absence. The government takes from the hard workers and doesn’t give anything back.
Maybe we should all bank off shore, shop offshore and get our labour off shore – perhaps we should go and live there too. Maybe we could at least elect where our dollars go. eg $10K local public school, 5K local library, $7K childcare services, $10K elderly, etc. I think I wouldn’t mind that so much.
Yet again the Labour Govt, who would not be in office if we didn’t persist with the ridiculous 2 party preferred system, seems intent on attacking those of us who earn good incomes. They continually refer to acting in the best interests of “working familes” yet seem to be oblivious to the fact that all income earners come from “working families” and that we also have higher mortgage debts and pay moer income tax than lower income families. It is time for us all to put a stop to this continued ignorance and do everything we can to remove these fools from office and install a Govt that is committed to improving the lives of ALL Australians not just the lives of their so called traditional supporter base.
Don’t fix what ain’t broken
C’mon. One or the other. If you want to means test the 30% give us the option of private or medicare. Then let private cover all medical costs and there will be no medicare drain – or medicare as those that pay for it will not need it because they have private cover.
I already question the value of insurance when – despite paying over $2000 p.a. I still have to pay more (the gap) if I need treatment. If I have no insurance I pay nothing… where’s the incentive????????????
Private Health insurance = choice of doctor & not having to wait 12 months or more for treatment. The down side is having to pay a massive gap because Medicare do not pay enough – the schedule fee is far too low. I have a congenital hip condition and I cant afford either option.
Steady up people. How much do you earn before they take away the rebate? Do we won’t to go the way of Greece, Ireland etc?
We joined the higher level of HCF nine years ago because of health reasons. Even though the cost have increased we feel that we must continue to pay or we will not be able to maintain the health care we need. If the rebate is reduced we may not be able to continue as paying members.
I am now a aged pensioner and have been contributing to Private Health Insurance for more than 30 years. Now each month I contemplate whether I should opt out because it is such a strain on my finances. If the rebate is cut… guess what? The decision will be made for me!
I agree with all the comments made, this government is the worst yet!! Maybe the people will pay more attention to whom they vote for at the next election and hopefully that will be VERY SOON!!
The australian people are already one of the highest taxed society’s in the world, people are already finding it difficult to provide for themselves and their families and you are proposing to introduce further potential financial hardships on the people your claiming to represent/champion?. This change is obviously not in the best interest of the people so why is it being proposed? Its easy for politicians to propose these policy changes because it doesn’t affect you, it would be a refreshing change if the gov spared a thought for the people once in a while and looked into other ways to strengthen the economy.
I feel strongly in favor of maintaining the current rebate to ensure that health care remains affordable to all levels of income earners. Enough Labour socialist policies already.
Yet another decision being considered by our Federal Government which has not been thoroughly thought through and will have serious consequences as a result.
Please do not subject the rebate to a means test.
Pay the extra costs of private health care or pay the Medicare Levy plus Hurricane Tax. Or pay all 3!!
Tax tax tax, and spend unwisely; That’s what we have with ths unpopular coalition of the greens and labour… neither have a mandate to govern. It’s a minority government with lots of stupid, unproven ideas.The sooner an election is called, the better!
Who voted Labour!!!!!
Bring back John Howard he was the only PM with the hard working people in mind,
It is the hard working people that pay the taxes which provides medical services.
If they take away the rebate I will cancel my healh insurance as I never use it anyway $2000 a year now for nothing I WILL NOT PAY ANYMORE!
Maybe we should all quit our jobs that we spend more than 70hrs a week on to pay our mortgages to go on the dole and get all the free services GET RIDE OF LABOUR!!If it helps the elderly and people on low incomes with family then help them. But please do not slog the people who work to keep this country and all the politicians going. Its not just the Labour Party we have no one in government that is any good they are all looking after themselves. All they want is the fact they have become the Prime Minister and get a bloody good payout and super when they finish. Look at the ones we are still paying for now, they have been paid enough to keep us all in private health cover for the next 50 years.
We the people must voice our will to the politicians. They are to represent the people not their own agendas. If we say nothing then nothing will change.
The “means testing” of the rebate equates with the Government’s carbon tax effect on hard working Australians and will result in a double whammie.As people drop out or lower their cover prices will have to rise, creating more problems, and the public sector won’t be able to cope. Our balanced health system will collapse. That, of course, is what the Greens want: to deny us adequate healthcare while we freeze and starve in the dark!
As am a retired Male on self funded super who seems to miss out on all government handouts as my income is not high enough to pay tax there is absolutely no way I could afford private health Insurance with the increase in the cost of living if the 30% rebate is withdrawn.
There is so much waste and mis-management of taxpayers’ money.
So why destroy a proven incentive that merely helps people ‘join together’ to create a pool of funds to pay for their own healthcare costs?
The money saved will no doubt go to plain packaged high-speed insulated carbon neutral cow stunning set-top boxes for regional electorates!
OK, no joke… Don’t stuff up the one thing that works in the healthcare sector… Health insurance!
I am sick to death of this incompetent government who wants to bleed anyone who works hard and earns a decent income dry in order to fund their badly researched flights of fancy. Its time Labour to go back to the polls and let the country decide. You are pathetic and as for the Greens and the Independents just who do you think you are? You do not have a mandate to rule this country so stop your power mongering and listen to the people. Health care is in a state as it is this will only serve to create a U.S. type of health care where only the rich will be able to afford private health and stuff the rest of us.
Just another slug from The Labor Party.It is driving more people to drop out of private health funds therefore putting more pressure onto the Public Systems, compounded by the costs of fuel,groceries and everyday living. .
Just another example of this government’s incredible incompetence. Making private health cover more expensive will simply place extraordinary burdens on an already struggling public health system. Most people who have private health cover are not the “wealthy” they are simply citizens trying to protect their families; retirees trying to make sensible arrangements for themselves; some younger people trying to take some of the burden off the public system – politicians just don’t listen or worse – don’t care!
This action will only increase costs for public hospitals as so many unfortunate people will have to join the public queue because they will not be able to afford private insurance.
I work in the health industry and know how many are waiting for elective surgery. If the rebate is taken away many more will opt out of private health insurance and add to our already ailing health system. I am fed up with being ” slogged”by this government, at every corner – penalized because I am employed and not a burden on our system.
As a Disability pensioner there is no way I could afford private health insurance without the 30% rebate.
The socialists are now well and truly in bed with the modern day communists and the average Australian is the one getting screwed.The removal of the rebate is just one of the early nails in the coffin.The obvious influence of the Greens is becoming more apparent….they don’t ask what we want ,they tell us what we are
going to get….end of story.As a retiree I do as much as possible to alleviate the burden of an aging person on the public health system. To increasae the cost of Private Health cover would mean yet another OAP on the public system. Why should we be forced to give up our private health cover at our age sfter a lifetime of support?
It seem this incompetent, abyssmal excuse for a Government does not like anything with Private in the title as it smacks, somehow of priviledge and money. We are self-funded Retirees who NOT a burden on anyone! I would like to know how much the Government are contributing to the U.N. from the Frauduletnt Carbon Tax they are imposing on us all?? What I resent most is that millions of independently funded people will now be subjected to Government Hand-outs because of their push for this totally unneccessary Carbon Tax and the costs it will bring.
A complete joke. Yet another way this government is redistributing the wealth. Abbott was completely right to draw up battlelines but, with policy proposals like this one and other notable taxes proposed Labor are truly going back to their overspending, socialist roots. I hate this government.
PS Please correct spelling of Parliment to Parliament.
Tired of the costs this government is imposing on all of us due to their mis-management and mis-treatment of AUSTRALIANS. Stop wasting our money I say to all politicians and get into the real world. This Country unfortunately is heading towards bleeding it’s citizens dry, uncaring, destroying families and I ask when we are all broke where will they get their taxes and wages from then ???
Their mentality suggests that taxing welfare is a real option, just like taking money out of kids pockets !!!Why is it so that if a person has Private Health Cover that person is put in the Higher to rich catagory…???
Most of us are hardworking Australians and should get the respect they deserve especially the pensioners. This certainly will have a huge impact all round.I do not approve any changes to the health rebate. I am pensioner and any change will effect my and other pensioners standard of living..
As self-funded retirees no way could we afford the loss of the Govt. premium. If people opted out of private cover the chaos would be fatal for people waiting for eletive surgery . It’ bad enough now.
As self-funded retirees we cannot afford another slug from the govt. if pensioners oppted out of private health insurance one hates to think of the chaos to the waiting lists for selective surgery.
We are a young family struggling to keep up with our PHI now, if the government withdraws the rebate we will have no choice but to leave our health fund. It becomes a choice we do not want to have to make, but will be forced to make.When it comes down to having to choose between PHI or our childrens education I’m afraid PHI will go.
Ah, the government that can’t think beyond the knife (in the back) draw strikes again.
Public healthy system is pretty much in ruins yet our short sighted ‘representatives of the PEOPLE’ can’t see how the mass abandonment of the private health sector is going to create chaos.
And the best way to not have new taxes?… well if you can’t hide them in other ‘duties’ you can always remove rebates.
What a shambles we are in as a country. Bring on the next election.This plan is outrageous! Our Public Hospital system is already overloaded and the Government only seems to want to increase the pressure. This is the worst Government ever.
as a self funded retirees it is just another way of stripping us of our independant life style @ putting us on the waiting que at the public hospital when required, surely we are entitled to some benifits for all the effort over are working life .as are all pensioners @self refunded retirees
We are self funded retirees , this rebate enables us to have private health cover,large membership keeps health funds affordable .This supports private hospitals which in turn takes pressure off teaching hospitals.
My Husband, John, and I have been subscribing to a Private Health Fund since the 1960′s and each month we have to consider if we can afford to keep subscribing as we are both Pensioners. To lose the rebate would mean that we would have to join the long queues needing any medical attention or hospitalisation. The Hospitals all over Australia are hardly coping with the demands now and this latest proposal will only exacerbate the situation. We respectfully ask that you give serious consideration to the plight of many, many people and withdraw this proposal or at least to means test it.
This is another way for the government to attack those who can least afford it. If the Goverment were to stop the wastage and monies misspent, there would be no need for this to even be considered.
I am a pensioner and hzve had private cover for 26 years, if our stubborn prime minister goes ahead with this I guess I will have to go into the already overloaded public system.
Yet another labour party bungle, the worst government in Australian political history.I have always had private health fund as I have a serious medical condition life becomes increasingly harder as I get older the last people need in the world we live in now is more added pressure for paying out more money on their health fund for once in your life government have a heart and give us all a break just because you all earn great salaries and can afford it come live in the real world.
What a disgrace – Nicola Roxon ALREADY Cannot fix the Health system & NOW wants to penalize US seniors Further who care enough to take control of out health & pay for Quality Health care through the private health system.We go without other things to pay for Our Private health premiums – SO LEAVE the current system ALONE & SAVE Money
& We do NOT Need a “CARBON TAX”Although I receive the age Pension I have always cared for myself and kept my Private Health going it already costs me $129 per month by losing the rebate I would have to succumb to the public Hospital system and there are many more out there like me, and the waiting list gets longer and longer, how do others less fortunate survive.
If the rebate is removed the exodus from private health schemes will become evident within 3 months. I pray that the federal government has a plan in place that will then allow the public hospital system to cope with all those who come to the emergency rooms in mass.This seems to send the message that “Hard Work,Paying Tax,Being Model Citizens” more stress will be inflicted on us and we will suffer bad health earlier in life.
We have got a comprehensive private health insurance at the moment and it’s already bit expensive, if the 30% rebate is withdrawn, we will definitely downgrade our policy to the minimum just to aoid the surcharge.
The government wants it both ways. you are expected to better yourself, save for your imminent retirement and yet they are using us as a cash cow as an additional scource of extra revenue. Isn’t enough that we are paying to repair Australia after the government spent the Liberal’s surplus on gifts to families who enjoyed overseas trips, and school building programmes for rich schools and aborted insulation programmes etc.
Our private health insurance premium has already more than doubled in price in the past 10 years and our contribution to Medicare has also increased substantially.
At the same time the gap
between the actual costs and Medicare reimbursement amounts
gets bigger and bigger.Why should we be punished through our contributions to private health funds just because we work hard and earn above average income. This income
will be invested for our retirement so we don’t have to rely on the government to support us in our old age.Our private health fund premiums have already more than doubled
in price in the past 10 years and our contribution to Medicare
has also increased substantially. At the same time the gap
between the actual costs and Medicare reimbursement amounts
gets bigger and bigger.why should we be punished through our contributions to private health funds
just because we work hard and earn above average income. This income
will be invested for our retirement so we don’t have to rely on the
government to support us in our old age.I am a hardworking Australian who is constantly penalised in this country. Health insurance is already expensive even with the current rebate. If the rebate is reduced I will no longer be able to afford Extras Cover which will reduce the services I use for my personal well- being as well as impacting those service providers and their businesses. People will no longer be able to afford to go to them. It has a far reaching affect than just impacting the supposed rich on $80,000.
Once again any one who trys to earn more money gets screwed
We are pensioners and struggle to pay the yearly fees so to lose the rebate would cripple us.
As am a retired lady there is absolutely no way I could afford private health Insurance with the increase in the cost of living if the 30% rebate is withdrawn.
Have your say
Save Your Rebate Campaign
Ive just signed the #SaveYourRebate Petition! Help save your 30% rebate to stop your PHI premiums soaring! http://t.co/SZCoFy3L
1 week ago
Ive just signed the #SaveYourRebate Petition! Help save your 30% rebate to stop your PHI premiums soaring! http://t.co/2B5TuDEh
1 week ago
Ive just signed the #SaveYourRebate Petition! Help save your 30% rebate to stop your PHI premiums soaring! http://t.co/hlWFk8qa
1 week ago
Ive just signed the #SaveYourRebate Petition! Help save your 30% rebate to stop your PHI premiums soaring! http://t.co/Sd0Nqt1m
1 week ago
Ive just signed the #SaveYourRebate Petition! Help save your 30% rebate to stop your PHI premiums soaring! http://t.co/ppInxyjw
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16 February 2012
Heard the one about…. Ten men go out for beer. The bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing. The fifth would pay $1. The sixth would pay $3. The seventh would pay $7. The eighth would pay $12. The ninth would pay $18. The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that’s what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. He said, “Since you are all such good customers, I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.”
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes, so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men — the paying customers?
How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his “fair share”? They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay!
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings). The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings). The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings). The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings). The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings). The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first fourcontinued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
“I only got a dollar out of the $20,” declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, “but he got $10!”
“Yeah, that’s right,’ exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved a dollar, too. It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I!”
“That’s true!!”shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back when I got only $2 ? The wealthy get all the breaks!”
“Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison. “We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!” The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important.
They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes (should) get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up any more. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.