The government's bill to remove the higher private health insurance rebate for people aged 65 and over, from April next year, to save $3 billion over four years for aged care, was blocked in the Senate by the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers, and Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced it in the House of Representatives. The Greens want pensioners excluded as the price of passage, and critic Teal independent Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, argues that half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them. Ryan says the Health Department estimates 80,000 older Australians might drop their cover, compared with the government's figure of 44,000, shifting healthcare costs to public hospitals. The bill's future remains unclear as the government and Greens negotiate, adding pressure on Treasurer Jim Chalmers as unemployment hit 4.7 per cent in September, a five-year high, ahead of the mid-year budget update due in December.
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- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Southern Highland News
On Wednesday, the Senate, with the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers, knocked off the government's bill to remove age-based top-ups to the private health insurance rebate for people 65 and over, a measure expected to save $3 billion over four years. Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives on Thursday, but its future is unclear as the Greens, led by David Shoebridge, demand pensioners be excluded, saying a billion dollars should not be taken from 1.2 million pensioners. Independent Monique Ryan cites Parliamentary Budget Office analysis that older Australians would bear half the savings, and accuses the government of hiding impacts, noting it claimed 44,000 older Australians might drop cover while the Health Department says the figure is closer to 80,000. The article says the dispute adds pressure on Treasurer Jim Chalmers ahead of the mid-year update due in December, as unemployment hit 4.7 per cent in September, a five-year high.
- 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 | Bendigo Advertiser
The Albanese government's plan to remove age-based top-ups on private health insurance rebates for people aged 65 and over, from April next year, would save $3 billion over four years for aged care. After the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers blocked the bill in the Senate on Wednesday, Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced it in the House of Representatives on Thursday, but its future is unclear as the Greens want pensioners exempted. Monique Ryan cited a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis she commissioned, which found half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them, and accused the government of hiding the impact: it claimed 44,000 older people might drop cover, while the Health Department says the figure is closer to 80,000. The row adds pressure on Treasurer Jim Chalmers as unemployment hit 4.7% in September, a five-year high, ahead of the mid-year budget update due in December.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Muswellbrook Chronicle
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.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | The Maitland Mercury
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.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Narromine News
Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill to remove the age-based top-ups on private health insurance rebates for people 65 and over, a measure the government says would save $3 billion over four years for aged care. After the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers voted it off the agenda in the Senate, the Greens want pensioners exempted as the price of passage. Independent Monique Ryan said Parliamentary Budget Office analysis showed half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them, and that the government had claimed 44,000 people might drop their cover, while the Health Department estimates the figure is closer to 80,000. Michelle Grattan notes the fight adds pressure on Treasurer Jim Chalmers as unemployment hit 4.7 per cent in September, a five-year high.
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