The Albanese government proposes removing age-based top-ups to the health insurance rebate for people aged 65 and over, starting from April next year, to save $3 billion over four years for aged care. The Senate voted to take the bill off the agenda after the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers opposed it, and the Greens want pensioners excluded as the price of passage. Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives, but its future remains unclear as the government negotiates with the Greens. Independent MP Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, argues that half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them. She says the Health Department estimates nearly 80,000 people may drop their cover, well above the 44,000 the government cited.
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- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | The Canberra Times
The Albanese government proposes removing the age-based top-up on private health insurance rebates for people aged 65 and over from April next year, saving $3 billion over four years for aged care. The Senate, with the opposition, the Greens and crossbenchers, knocked the bill off the agenda, and the Greens want pensioners excluded from its scope. Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives, where its future is unclear as negotiations with the Greens continue. Independent MP Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, says half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them. She accuses the government of hiding the impact by citing 44,000 people who might drop cover, while the Health Department estimates closer to 80,000.
- 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 | The Rural
The Albanese government plans to scrap the higher private health insurance rebate for people aged 65 and over, and the extra top-up for those 70 and older, from April next year. It says the change would save $3 billion over four years, which would go into aged care, and frames it as fairer treatment regardless of age. The Senate, with the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers, voted the legislation down, and 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, but its future was unclear when parliament broke. Teal independent Monique Ryan, citing Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, says much of the savings would come from older Australians least able to pay, and accuses the government of understating the impact: it claimed 44,000 older Australians might drop cover, while the Health Department says the figure is closer to 80,000.
- 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 | Bunbury Mail
The government's plan to scrap the age-based top-ups on private health insurance rebates for people aged 65 and over, which would save $3 billion over four years for aged care, was blocked in the Senate on Wednesday by the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers. Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives on Thursday, and negotiations with the Greens are ahead, with the Greens demanding pensioners be removed from its scope. Independent MP Monique Ryan, citing a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis she commissioned, says about half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them. She says the Health Department estimates closer to 80,000 people could drop cover, compared with the 44,000 the government cited, shifting costs to public hospitals. The bill's future remained unclear when parliament broke on Thursday.
- Michelle Grattan | Labor reintroduces health insurance rebate | Namoi Valley Independent
The government's plan to scrap the age-based top-ups on the private health insurance rebate for people 65 and over, due from April next year, has become a central political battle. On Wednesday, the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers joined to block the bill in the Senate, and on Thursday Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced it in the House of Representatives, though its future was unclear when parliament broke. The government says the measure will save $3 billion over four years and put the money into aged care, arguing it is fairer to treat people equally regardless of age. The Greens want pensioners removed from the bill as the price of passage, while Teal independent Monique Ryan cites a Parliamentary Budget Office analysis showing half the savings would come from older Australians least able to afford them. Ryan also says the Health Department estimates around 80,000 people may drop their cover, compared with the 44,000 the government claimed, which would shift costs to public hospitals.
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