122,500 Bradfield Residents to be hit by Labor's attack on Private Health Insurance

The 122,500 residents of Bradfield estimated to have private health insurance cover will be hard hit by the decision of Julia Gillard to break another promise and means test the private health insurance rebate.

‘If you have private health insurance – and most people in Bradfield do – this new Labor law, which passed the House of Representatives yesterday is a real kick in the teeth’, said Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield.

‘Many Bradfield residents will be above the new means tested limit – so their tax rebates for their private health insurance premiums will reduce or even disappear’.

‘The means test provides that singles earning over $83,000 and families over $166,000 will pay up to $1,000 more.’

‘Because of the means test, it is estimated 1.6 million Australians will drop private hospital cover over the next five years and another 4.3 million Australians will downgrade their level of coverage.  This will have a dramatic impact on the costs of everyone who remain in private health insurance.  The loss of younger members is estimated to increase all premiums by 10 per cent.’

 “The Government’s decision to means test private health insurance will also have a significant impact on the public hospital system’, Mr Fletcher said.

‘It is estimated that 845,000 new procedures will be forced onto the public hospitals system putting further pressure on waiting lists.’

‘Millions of Australians choose to pay for private health insurance’, Mr Fletcher said.

‘They should be congratulated for taking the responsibility to make financial provision for their own healthcare needs – and to reduce the burden on the public hospital system.

‘But instead of congratulating them, the Gillard Labor Government is penalising them – because of its ideological hostility toward people displaying self-reliance’.