Thu, 15th May 2008

Private health insurance membership - as good as it will ever get

The Hon Joe Hockey MP
Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing

‘Membership statistics released today by the Private Health Insurance Administration Council are great news for all those who believe in private health care in Australia.’ Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, Joe Hockey MP, said today.

They show that 9.477 million Australians, or 44.6 per cent of the population, were covered by private health hospital cover.

‘That’s nearly nine and a half million Australians who have willingly given themselves the choice of hospital and doctor when they need treatment and care.

‘Nine and a half million Australians who are not only doing something for themselves and their families, but relieving pressure on our hard-pressed public hospitals,’ Mr Hockey also said.

Significantly, in the twelve months since March 2007, the number of Australians with private health insurance aged between 20 and 50 grew by a very healthy 187,000. The biggest growth of any age group in that time was in 25-29 year olds, an increase of 57,500 people.

The Howard Government’s successful commitment to increasing private health insurance membership, especially among younger people, was based on three pillars – the 30 per cent rebate, Lifetime Health Cover for people over 30, and the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

Now one of those key pillars is being hacked off.

‘The Prime Minister, Treasurer and Minister for Health and Ageing are blind to the destruction of the private health sector that they have unleashed.

‘Today’s membership statistics are as tragic as they are outstanding. They are the high water mark of private health in this country so long as this unashamedly anti-private health Government remains in office.

‘From this peak, there is only one way for the private health sector can go under the Rudd Government.

‘And that’s down,’ Mr Hockey said.