| Publication: | news.com.au |
|---|---|
| Date: | 1 3May 2009 |
| Section: | Top stories |
The Budget unveiled comprehensive changes to health insurance, mainly affecting people who earn more than $75,000. From July next year, singles who earn between $75,000 and $90,000 will be slugged with an increased private health insurance bill thanks to a cut in the rebate to 20 per cent. The medicare surcharge will remain at 1 per cent. For those earning between $90,000 and $120,000 a year, the rebate will fall to 10 per cent with the surcharge at 1.25 per cent. Those earning more than $120,000 will receive no rebate at all with a surcharge of 1.5 per cent.
The Extended Medicare Safety Net will also be tightened. The Government claims there has been excessive growth in the fees for specialist services such as obstetrics, Assisted Reproductive Technology, hair transplants and varicose veins.
