Proposed changes to the private health insurance rebate

No decision has been made on the proposed changes. While the Senate voted to remove the Bill from further consideration on 14 October 2026, the Government reintroduced it in the House of Representatives the following day.

This means the proposed changes remain before Parliament and are not yet law. Nothing changes for members right now, and current rebate arrangements remain unchanged.

If the proposed changes are made into law, some Australians aged 65 and over may receive a lower rebate than they do today, which could increase the amount they need to contribute towards their health insurance premium.

The actual impact on your premium will depend on factors such as your age, income, policy type and final rebate entitlement. If the proposal is made into law, we'll be in touch to help members understand how their costs may be affected and explore available options.

Not at this stage. As the proposed changes are still subject to legislation, we can't accurately calculate how they may affect individual members.

Depending on your circumstances, there may be options available to help manage the cost of your cover. This could include:

• increasing your hospital excess
• paying your premium in advance to lock in your current premium and rebate for longer
• reviewing your level of cover and policy details through online member services or the HCF My Membership app to ensure it still meets your needs.

Before making any changes, it's important to understand the potential impact on your benefits, waiting periods, limits and out-of-pocket costs. If you're unsure, HCF can help you understand your options and the implications of different choices.

If the proposed changes are made into law, some pensioners and retirees aged 65 and over may receive a lower rebate than they do today, which could increase the amount they contribute towards their health insurance premium.

However, not all pensioners and retirees will be affected in the same way. Individual impacts will depend on factors such as age, income, policy type and current rebate entitlement.

There is currently no confirmed date for when the proposed changes would take effect. Until then, the current rebate arrangements based on age and income remain unchanged.

If the proposed changes are not made into law, the current rebate arrangements will remain in place. This means eligible Australians aged 65 and over would continue to receive rebate amounts based on both their age and income.

We'll continue to update this page as the legislation progresses and let members know if there are any changes.

Currently, people on the same income can receive different rebate rates once they turn 65 years old. The Australian Government has proposed changing this, so people in the same income tier receive the same level of rebate support, regardless of their age.

According to the Government, savings from the proposed changes would be invested in aged care services, including additional residential aged care places and improved access to home care support.

If the proposed changes are made into law, we'll be in touch with impacted members to explain what the changes mean, when they take effect and how they may affect your cover and costs. We'll continue to update this page with the latest information, provide guidance to help members understand their options and support that may be available.