How Does The Private Health Insurance Rebate Work?

Every year, tax season descends with its usual mayhem and confusion, and while health insurance might not be the first thing that you think about when it comes to your taxes, it can play an influential role in your annual taxable income.

This article will help you understand how the Australian Government rebate on private health insurance works, which rebate tier you fall under, how to avoid penalties and save.

The Australian government rebate on private health insurance

Health insurance is more closely related to your annual income tax than you might think and you could even pay less with the rebate on private health insurance.

Why was the rebate created?

When more people purchase private health insurance, it reduces the burden on the public healthcare system and increases the affordability of private health insurance for everyone. To encourage people to take private cover, the Australian Government created the private health insurance rebate as an incentive.

What is the rebate on private health insurance?

The private health insurance tax rebate is simply a percentage of the cost of your premiums that the government will pay for you, up to a maximum of 34.579%. This amount depends on your taxable income, your age, and how many dependent children you have.

Depending on the tier you fall under, your rebate could be:

You are eligible to receive the rebate if you

• Have an income that is less than the Tier 3 threshold: Less than $140,001 for singles and less than $280,001 for families and couples AND
• You pay private health insurance premiums: Meaning you have private hospital insurance, extras insurance, or a policy that combines both.

Not all private health funds guarantee eligibility for the Australian Government rebate. You need to check with your health insurer to see if they are registered, if they provide hospital cover or packaged hospital and extras cover, and if the policy that you have chosen is eligible for the rebate.

Who is ATO?

ATO is the Australian Government statutory agency which acts as the main revenue collection body for the Government. Among other duties, they are also responsible for administering the Australian federal taxation system.

If you would like to find an easy, online tool to work out your entitlement to a rebate and the percentage you can claim, you can simply visit the private health insurance rebate ATO website and use their tax rebate calculator.

Choose how you’ll claim your rebate:

How do I receive my rebate?

How you receive your rebate will depend on whether you chose to claim it as a reduced premium or as part of your annual income tax return.

• If you chose to receive your rebate from your health fund, you would receive it in the form of reduced premiums, meaning you’ll pay less on your premiums every month (or however you pay your premiums).
• If you prefer to receive your rebate from ATO, then it will be taken off your annual income tax amount so that you pay less taxes for the year.

Calculate your private health insurance rebate

The rebate is income tested, which means that your taxable income determines your level of rebate for private health insurance. There are 4 levels, the Base Tier is for the lowest income earners, and Tier 3 is for the highest.

How is my rebate calculated?

The Australian Government calculates the rebate percentages based on a weighted average ratio. This is determined using a formula which considers growth in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the industry weighted average premium increase.

1. Estimate your household income for the financial year to work out which of the rebate tiers you fall under.
2. Next, you must cross reference your tier level with the age of the oldest person on the health insurance policy, and this will give you the rebate percentage you are eligible for.

Health insurance rebate tiers

What happens if you choose the wrong tier?

If you’ve chosen to receive your rebate from your insurer in the form of reduced premiums, then you will be asked to select the tier you think that you’ll fall under, based on your estimated income. But, what if you get it wrong and choose the wrong tier?

If you choose the wrong tier and receive a higher rebate than you are entitled to, you won’t have to pay a penalty. You will, however, incur a tax liability, meaning the difference will be worked out when you put in your tax return at the end of the financial year, and you will pay tax to the ATO or receive a smaller refund than you might have received.

Health insurance rebate thresholds

When it comes to couples and families, your level of rebate is based on a combined income and the age of the oldest person covered under the insurance policy. It’s important to know that if you’re part of a family with children, then the income threshold for each tier will increase by $1,500 for every child after your firstborn.

If your income is higher than $140,000 as a single or $280,000 as a family or couples, then you most likely won’t be eligible to receive a rebate. The lower your income and the older you are, the higher your rebate percentage.

Private health insurance rebate thresholds for 2017

To help you submit your taxes as accurately as possible, your health fund will supply you with a statement at the end of the financial year.

Save with your health insurance tax rebate

Not many people are aware of how much they can get out of their annual tax dollars by getting private health insurance. For instance, some premiums are lower than the Medicare Levy Surcharge, so it might be a good idea to get hospital cover early, avoid this extra charge as well as the Lifetime Health Cover penalties.

Let’s not forget that with private health cover you can access the public hospital system, while still enjoying more choice of when and where you have treatment – without stressing about the lengthy public hospital waiting lists.

Medicare Levy Surcharge by income tier:

Remember, you are still required to pay the Medicare Levy, which is different to MLS. The Medicare Levy is what most Australians pay through their income tax as a way for the Government to fund Medicare and decrease public hospital waiting times by encouraging taxpayers to take out private cover and use the private hospital system if they can. You cannot avoid paying the Medicare Levy.

Lifetime Health Cover loading example

If you are 31 years old and do not yet have private health insurance, then a 2% LHC loading will apply. When you then do decide to take up private health cover, let’s say for a premium or $2000 per year, will pay $40 extra.

However, this 2% increase is added every year from your 31^st birthday. So, let’s assume you decided to take up private health cover at age 37, by the time 1 July passes your policy that would have cost around $2000 per year, will now inlcude an additional 12% LCH loading, requiring you to pay $240 on top of the base premium.

Does the Lifetime Health Cover loading ever go away?

Yes, there is a way to get rid of the Lifetime Health Cover loading. You must take out private hospital cover and maintain your cover for 10 consecutive years.

This does not mean that you must keep the same level of cover or stay with the same insurer for those 10 years. It merely means that your policy must cover you for hospital treatments, even if it’s the most basic policy, and there can be no break in your cover. If you want to change insurers, then you simply arrange for your new policy to kick in as your old policy end.

FAQs: Australian Government rebate on private health insurance

Not only does private health insurance help you avoid additional tax charges while providing you with a tax rebate, but it also enables you to care for your health and the health of your family.