Senate Puts Brakes on Health Rebate Cuts
Labor will try again after a 38-23 Senate vote blocked its plan to shift the private health rebate to income-based eligibility.
- On Wednesday, the Senate voted 38 to 23 to remove the Private Health Insurance Amendment Bill from the notice paper, effectively blocking the government's plan to repeal age-based rebates for Australians aged 65 and over.
- Aiming to save $3 billion over four years, the government sought to align rebates with income rather than age, intending to reinvest funds into the aged care sector to address growing demand.
- A coalition of opposition parties and crossbenchers blocked the bill, citing concerns that over 1.5 million pensioners would be negatively affected, while Treasury forecast 44,000 individuals would be pushed into the public health system.
- Calling the vote an "absolute travesty," Health Minister Mark Butler vowed to reintroduce the identical legislation on Thursday, demanding the Senate engage in proper debate.
- While Greens leader David Shoebridge suggested the party might support the legislation if pensioners were exempted, the government currently insists on pressing ahead with the original plan without modifications.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Senate puts brakes on health rebate cuts
Proposed cuts to the higher private health insurance rebate for older Australians have been removed from the Senate’s agenda, in a move welcomed by Private Healthcare Australia (PHA). The proposal would reduce the rebate for Australians aged 65 and over to the same rates available to younger people in the same income bracket. The Senate’s October 14 decision has stalled the legislation, although the Federal Government has indicated it intends to…
Sydney Morning Herald
Butler vows to bring back health rebate bill after Senate ambush sinks $3b aged care plan
The Coalition, the Greens, One Nation and the crossbench united in the Senate to dump Labor’s over-65 health rebate plan, infuriating the health minister.
Breaking: Government fails to secure support for beleaguered private health bill
Controversial private health insurance changes affecting older Australians are now on life support, after the legislation was effectively thrown out of parliament by the Coalition and crossbench.
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