Skip to content
Medical Health Aged Care

Aussies eligible for higher private health insurance rebates

June 13, 2024 4 mins read

Eligible Australians could this year receive a higher tax time rebate on their private health insurance following changes income thresholds.

 

As a result of the changes that kick in for the first time from 1 July, income thresholds used to calculate the private health insurance rebate have increased by about $3,000 for singles and $6,000 for families.

 

Currently, people earning up to $144,000 (singles) or $288,000 (families) can receive rebates, and depending on their income level, Australians may be able to get more back at tax time.

 

Having a suitable level of private hospital cover also means people don’t need to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), which can be up to 1.5% of one’s income. The rates applying for 2023/24 Financial Year are $93,000 for singles and $186,000 for families.

 

Bupa Health Insurance Managing Director Chris Carroll said the Federal Government’s tax concessions was to recognise Australians investing in their own health and wellbeing and support our mixed public and private health system.

 

“Our public hospitals remain under pressure, and we all have a role to play in helping keep our world-leading health system strong to ensure patients can access care when they need it,” Mr Carroll said.

 

“In some cases, having the most basic hospital cover could cost less than paying the MLS if you don’t have private health insurance – and we know most families would welcome savings during the current cost-of-living challenges Australians are facing.

 

“For example, a family can save about $441 dollars with ‘accident only’ hospital cover, instead of paying more than $3000 in tax and receiving no benefits.

 

“It’s worth investigating and getting the right financial and tax advice. If you’re eligible, claiming the private health insurance rebate can also help reduce your premium by up to 24% in some cases, depending on your circumstances.”

 

To help calculate the MLS, Bupa has an online tax calculator to calculate what you may be paying in tax.

 

Breaking down tax and private health insurance:

2023–24 Income thresholds

Family status

Base tier

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Single

$93,000 or less

$93,001 – $108,000

$108,001 – $144,000

$144,001 or more

Family

$186,000 or less

$186,001 – $216,000

$216,001 – $288,000

$288,001 or more

Note: The family income threshold is increased by $1,500 for each Medicare levy surcharge dependent child after the first child

Medicare Levy Surcharge


Having a suitable level of private hospital cover means people don’t need to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), which can be up to 1.5% of your income.

 

Most Australian taxpayers help pay for Medicare through the Medicare Levy, but if they earn more than $93,000 as an individual or $186,000 as a couple or family in 2023/24, they may have to pay the MLS as well.

 

Those who had private hospital cover, even the most basic, during the full tax year won’t need to pay the MLS.

 

 

Without hospital cover

With hospital cover

NSW, single without kids, earns $97,000 p/y

$970.00 p/y MLS

 

$965.11 p/y for Bupa Basic Accident Only Hospital cover.

 

Saving $4.89 and benefits like:

 

  • $0 Medicare Levy Surcharge
  • Accident & Emergency
  • Ambulance cover
  • Skip public waiting lists

 

NSW, married without kids Earns $250,000 (combined) p/y

$3,125.00 p/y MLS

 

$2,683.44 p/y for Bupa Bronze Simple Hospital cover

 

Saving: $441.56 and benefits like:

 

  • $0 Medicare Levy Surcharge
  • 24 covered services
  • Private room
  • Skip public waiting lists

 

 

Use the online tax calculator to calculate what you may be paying in tax

 

Lifetime health cover
 

It’s helpful to have private hospital cover before people turn 31. Each year someone who has turned 31 is not covered under private health cover, it will cost 2% more in premiums when they do get cover, and that continues to increase each year, up to 70% and this increase in premium will remain in place until they have held private hospital cover for 10 continuous years.

 

Getting private hospital cover sooner helps to avoid those 2% increments adding up.

 

 

Age-based discount 
 

Bupa has an initiative that offer people aged under 31 a discount on private hospital cover. The discount is 2% for each year between 18 and 30, when they first purchase hospital cover. The maximum discount is 10% for those aged 18 to 25 years. Those who have health insurance from a young age can keep this 10% discount until their 41st birthday.


 

Private health insurance rebate


The Federal Government contributes towards private health insurance premiums based on a person’s income and age.

 

Income for surcharge purposes

Rebate for 1 July 2023 – 31 March 2024

$93,000 or less for a single person

24.608%

$93,001 – $108,000 for a single person

16.405%

$108,001 – $144,000 for a single person

8.202%

$144,001 or more for a single person

Not eligible

$186,000 or less for a family

24.608%

$186,001 – $216,000 for a family

16.405%

$216,001 – $288,000 for a family

8.202%

$288,001 or more for a family

Not eligible

Note: The family income threshold is increased by $1,500 for each Medicare levy surcharge dependent child after the first child.

Source: Income thresholds and rates for the private health insurance rebate | Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au)

 

ENDS

 

For more information, please contact:
Aleks Devic                               
Head of Media (Health Insurance) and Content                                
Email: aleks.devic@bupa.com.au

 

 

About Bupa Asia Pacific

Bupa is an international healthcare group which has been committed to a purpose of helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world for more than 70 years.

Bupa Asia Pacific operates in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, supporting about 7.3 million customers through a broad range of health and care services including health insurance, aged care, dental, medical, optical and hearing services.

Employing more than 22,000 people in the region, we believe that we can make a real difference to the lives of customers through our values, purpose and the way that we deliver personalised care.

Over the past 17+ years we have invested more than AUD$36 million in partnerships and programs focused on improving health of communities across Australia.

 

 

More from this category

  • Medical Health Aged Care
  • 15/02/2025
  • 06:30
Dementia Australia

Join us today for Huskisson Memory Walk & Jog

What: Dementia Australia’sHuskissonMemory Walk & Jog   When: Today, Saturday 15 February from 8am   Who: More than 230 locals participating on the day. People who have been impacted by dementia, their family, friends and carers.   Where: Voyager Park, Huskisson Photos and video of previous Memory Walk & Jog events for publication are available for use. For more information visit: www.memorywalk.com.au Dementia Australia is the source of trusted information, education and services for the estimated more than 433,300 Australians living with dementia, and the more than 1.7 million people involved in their care. We advocate for positive change and…

  • Contains:
  • Medical Health Aged Care
  • 14/02/2025
  • 17:00
NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC.

NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS Completes Procedure to Make Germany’s SH HoldCo Wholly-owned Subsidiary

TOKYO, Feb. 14, 2025 /Kyodo JBN/ -- - Completion of Acquisition (Subsidiarization) of SH HoldCo GmbH Shares - NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. is pleased to announce that the agreement concluded on September 30, 2024, for the acquisition of entire shares in SH HoldCo GmbH, the parent company of the Germany-based Simon Hegele Group, was executed with effect from February 3, 2025 ("the Transaction"). NX Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202502063911-O3-3GW0nv63 The founder, Dieter Hegele (left), and the President of NXHD, Satoshi Horikiri: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202502063911/_prw_PI1fl_Q8fxy492.jpg Headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, Simon Hegele is a contract logistics provider founded in 1920 that specializes in providing logistics services for…

  • Medical Health Aged Care
  • 14/02/2025
  • 15:37
Dementia Australia

Last chance to join us for Canberra Memory Walk & Jog!

With only a few sleeps to go, walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers are gearing up to participate in the 2025 Canberra Memory Walk & Jog. More than 1000 people have already signed-up to take part – but there’s always room for more with online registrations still open, or sign-up on the day of the event. Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said it was fantastic to see Canberra locals throwing their support behind Memory Walk & Jog, all while getting active for their brain health. “We look forward to hosting Memory Walk & Jog on Sunday 23 February at Barrine…

  • Contains:

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.