| Publication: | news.com.au |
|---|---|
| Date: | 2 March 2009 |
| Section: | Breaking News |
Article excerpt:
PRIVATE health insurers have been given the go ahead to increase premiums by an average of about 6 per cent from April 1 this year, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says. Premiums rose by an average of 4.99 per cent last year. The funds had warned premiums could rise by as much as 10 per cent, arguing the Rudd Government's changes to the Medicare levy surcharge last October would spark an exodus of members. But in the three months to December 2008, private health membership grew by 54,000 people, or 0.1 percentage points, to hit its highest level in seven years.
... Ms Roxon said she knocked back applications for larger premium increases from several funds. "Without that close scrutiny, premium rises would have been higher for up to eight million Australians,'' she said.
