Australia Reports Record Numbers Hold Private Hospital Insurance
The number of Australians with private health insurance has hit a 27 year high with a total of 9,912,887 covered in the March quarter of 2010.
The last time this many people had this cover was in March 1983 when 9,986,000 people were covered.
The high comes despite the Opposition’s dire predictions that the election of the Rudd Government would see PHI membership numbers dive.
Figures released today also show that a high proportion of Australians are continuing to take out private health insurance (PHI) membership.
The figures released today by the Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) show that, in the March 2010 quarter:
- 9,912,887 people (44.5 per cent of the population) were covered by hospital treatment policies, an increase of 46,686 people from December 2009;
- 11,449,950 people (51.4 per cent of the population) were covered by general treatment policies, an increase of 87,245 people; and
- 11,479,466 people (51.5 per cent of the population) were covered by either hospital, general, or hospital and general treatment combined policies, an increase of 74,594 people.
The Government remains committed to making the private health insurance system fairer and more sustainable.
Currently the Government subsidises the private health insurance of all Australians, regardless of their income.
Changes proposed by the Government mean subsidies will be provided to those most in need, including all singles earning up to $120,000 per year, or couples on less than $240,000.
Treasury modelling estimates that, after these reforms, 99.7 per cent of people will remain in private health insurance.
This measure will save about $2.0 billion over the next four years, and allow the Government to invest in more doctors, nurses, hospital beds as part of its work to reform and improve the health system.
For more information on the latest PHI membership statistics visit www.phiac.gov.au
Topics: 2010, Australia, doctors, Governance, government, health care, Health Care, health system, hospital beds, March, moniter, monitor, news, nurses, PHI, PHIAC, private health insurance, Private Health Insurance Administration Council, Rudd Government
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