Protecting affordable health cover for older Australians
Bupa has provided a submission to the Senate inquiry into the Government’s proposal to remove the current higher private health insurance age-based rebate for Australians aged 65 years and over. Our submission highlights our concerns about the potential impact of this policy on older Australians and the broader health system.
While we support the Government’s objective of maintaining a sustainable and equitable private health insurance system, we are concerned that removing the age-based rebate could create significant affordability pressures for older Australians, particularly retirees and pensioners on fixed incomes. It may also reduce participation in private health insurance and place additional demand on public hospitals and health services.
We are calling for targeted support for older Australians on low incomes and a broader review of private health insurance participation incentives to strengthen affordability, sustainability, and consumer choice across the health system.
