DunRoaminTheUK

Given this:

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/arti...444272839.html

Will you be dumping your private medical health cover?

DadAgain

No change here...

We'll still keep the insurance to avoid the medicare levy and still not use it...
Even if our income were to drop below the threshold it'd be tempting to hold on to it in anticipation of income increases faster than the threshold gets lifted in future.

Dropping out of insurance and taking it up again later means premiums would sky rocket (being insured continuously since before you were 30 is the way to keep premiums as low as possible)

bridie

our income is below the threshold anyway but we still have it

just hope we dont see the double digit increases they are on about due to people dropping out

Amazulu

It's a load of shite isn't it. Elect a socialist government and get socialist crap like this.

Nu-Shooz

I never had it in the first place, far too expensive.

worzel

Work pays half my premiums so I will keep it.

bcworld

I don't see why it's a load of crap. The surcharge was introduced to encourage high income earners to contribute to their own medical care. And when the levels were set they were appropriate for high income earners. Now, someone earning $50k is earning below the average wage - why shouldn't the thresholds be adjusted?

I'm sure you have no objection to the levels at which the 40% tax band kicks in being increased as average earnings increase.

DrWho

I'd have thought the high income earners consider they contribute enough to their own medical care via substantially higher direct taxation... or am I missing something...

bcworld

Well I'd imagine they do, yes. You'd have to ask Johnny....it was his idea.

rabsody

It's not a lot of socialist crap. We've already paid for healthcare by way of our taxes (and a lot we pay too!). Why should we be forced to pay for it again with private health cover?

Personally, I would far rather pay more for a decent state system that benefits all, than the current two tier, user pays system we see in both health and schools.

MartinLuther

Typical socialist government looking after those on $100-150k! (those that will benefit from this change).

I can smell crap but it's not coming from the government

geordie downunder

Great believer in a universal healthcare system so never had private insurance.Should it rise to 150k then I'll still pay the extra levy.

I'd like to see the 30% rebate thrown out.I don't like the idea of subsidising private cover through my taxes.

tomy2tums

i've haven't a friggin clue what it all means, but I'll keep the private health cover as my company gives me $2600 a year towards it..

JackTheLad

We haven't got private health cover as we've been happy with services from public hospital in our area, and most doctors bulk-bill for the kids anyway. I don't mind (hubby) paying the medicare levy and/or the surcharge - there isn't much difference in what we actually pay with everything taken into consideration.

Things might change as we get older but we'll look again then to see if we actually need private cover.

Mrs JTL

chris and farideh

Just out of interest would any of you know if you keep the general extra on your health insurance, but drop the hospital cover, would you still be charge that 1% levy by the government.