Private Health Insurance Rebate
The Private Health Insurance Rebate reduces the cost of private health insurance for people who are eligible for Medicare and who belong to certain private health funds.
Claiming the Private Health Insurance Rebate
There are three ways you can claim the rebate:
- from your fund as a premium reduction
- from a DHS Service Centre, or
- from the Australian Taxation Office.
It doesn’t matter if you pay your premiums monthly, in yearly instalments or in advance.
Quick links
The Private Health Insurance Rebate reduces the amount you pay for private health insurance. The rebate amount you get is based on the age of the oldest person covered by the policy and by annual earnings. Currently, you may be able to get a rebate of 30 per cent, 35 percent or 40 percent.
From 1 July 2012, the rebate amount you get will be means tested. The Australian Government will introduce three new ‘Private Health Insurance Incentives Tiers’.
You need to know
Private Health Insurance Rebate
Families and individuals who pay private health insurance premiums may be eligible for Australian Government rebates on private health insurance. If you are paying a registered hospital and/or general private health fund insurance, your costs may be reduced.
This applies even if you are not personally covered by the policy, for example, if the policy is for your children. However, all people covered by the policy must be eligible for Medicare.
Changes to the Private Health Insurance Rebate from 1 July
From 1 July 2012, the Australian Government will introduce three new Private Health Insurance Incentives Tiers.
Eligible private health fund members
Not all private health funds and private health insurance policies are eligible for Australian Government rebates. They are only available if you have a Complying Health Insurance Policy with a registered health fund/insurer. Check with your health fund to see if they are registered and if your private health insurance policy is eligible for the rebate.
Medicare levy surcharge
The Medicare levy surcharge is only for people who earn an income over the Medicare levy surcharge threshold and who choose not to have private hospital health insurance. For more information about the Medicare levy surcharge, visit the Australian Taxation Office’s website.
First steps
Claiming the Private Health Insurance Rebate
You can pay your premiums monthly, in yearly instalments or in advance. There are three ways to claim the Private Health Insurance Rebate.
Resources
More information about the Private Insurance Health Rebate
Call us on 1300 554 463 or visit your nearest DHS Service Centre.