The Albanese government wants to scrap the age-based top-up in the private health insurance rebate from April next year, a change it says would save $3 billion over four years for aged care. On Wednesday the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers joined in the Senate to knock the bill off the government’s agenda. The Greens want pensioners excluded as the price of passage, arguing “you can’t take a billion dollars from 1.2 million pensioners.” Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives on Thursday. Independent MP Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, says about half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them, and accuses the government of hiding the impacts: it said 44,000 older people might drop cover, while the Health Department says the figure is closer to 80,000.
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- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Bega District News
The government's bill to scrap the age-based top-ups on private health insurance rebates, which it says would save $3 billion over four years for aged care, was voted down in the Senate with help from the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers. Health Minister Mark Butler has reintroduced it in the House, while the Greens want pensioners excluded as the price of passage. Teal independent Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, says half the savings would come from the older Australians least able to afford them, and disputes the government's estimate of 44,000 people dropping cover against the Health Department's estimate of 80,000. With unemployment at 4.7% in September, a five-year high, the prospect of a Reserve Bank hold in November has increased.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | The Advertiser - Cessnock
The government wants to remove the higher private health insurance rebate paid to people aged 65 and over (larger again from 70) from April next year, saving $3 billion over four years to put into aged care. On Wednesday, the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers joined in the Senate to knock the bill off the government's agenda, with the Greens demanding pensioners be excluded. Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives on Thursday, but its future remains unclear. Teal independent Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, says half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them. She also says the Health Department puts the number of people who might drop cover at about 80,000, versus the government's 44,000.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Camden Haven Courier
The government wants to remove the age-based top-ups to the private health insurance rebate from April next year, a measure it says would save $3 billion over four years and fund aged care. The opposition, the Greens and crossbench senators joined forces in the Senate to knock the bill off the agenda, and the Greens want pensioners excluded from it. Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives on Thursday, but its future is unclear and negotiations with the Greens are expected in the coming weeks. Teal independent Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis she commissioned, says half the savings would come from the older Australians least able to afford them, and the Health Department estimates closer to 80,000 people could drop their cover, compared with the 44,000 the government cited. The pressure also weighs on Treasurer Jim Chalmers, as unemployment reached 4.7% in September, a five-year high.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Daily Liberal
The Albanese government wants to remove the bigger private health insurance rebates for people aged 65 and over (larger again at 70 and over) from April next year, saving $3 billion over four years to fund aged care. The Senate knocked the bill off the government's agenda after the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers joined forces, and the Greens want pensioners exempted as the price of passage. Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives, and its future was unclear when parliament broke. Independent MP Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis she commissioned, says half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them, and accuses the government of hiding impacts: it claimed 44,000 older Australians might drop cover, while the Health Department says the figure is closer to 80,000. The fight comes as unemployment reached 4.7% in September, a five-year high, adding pressure on Treasurer Jim Chalmers ahead of the mid-year budget update.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Mudgee Guardian
The government's plan to remove age-based top-ups on the private health insurance rebate from April next year, saving $3 billion over four years for aged care, was knocked off the agenda in the Senate by the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers. Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House on Thursday, but the Greens, under David Shoebridge, want pensioners excluded as the price of passage. Teal independent Monique Ryan says half the savings would come from the least well-off older Australians, and that the Health Department estimates 80,000 people may drop their cover, versus the 44,000 the government cited. The bill's future remains unclear as the government negotiates with the Greens, putting pressure on Treasurer Jim Chalmers's budget savings.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Bay Post - Moruya Examiner
Labor has reintroduced in the House of Representatives its bill to remove the age-based rebate top-ups on private health insurance for people 65 and over (larger from 70), projected to save $3 billion over four years for aged care. The Senate had earlier voted it off the government's agenda with the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers, and the Greens want pensioners excluded as the price of passage. Teal independent Monique Ryan, citing Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, argues that about half the savings would come from the older Australians least able to afford them, and says the Health Department puts the number of people who may drop cover at closer to 80,000, not the 44,000 the government claimed. The article frames the coming negotiations as a key test for Greens leader David Shoebridge and Health Minister Mark Butler.
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