Overview
- The increase is the biggest since 2017 and follows last year’s 3.73% rise, affecting more than 15 million people with private cover.
- Rates vary by fund and policy, with NIB up 5.47%, Medibank 5.1%, Bupa 4.8%, HBF 2.15% and AIA close to 6%.
- Insurers paid out about $26.7 billion in benefits in the year to September 2025, and the government will deliver roughly $7.9 billion in rebates after restoring rebate-threshold indexation.
- APRA reviewed fund submissions and Health Minister Mark Butler said he required multiple resubmissions, stressing evidence-based pricing and value for consumers.
- Household impacts are expected to bite, with Canstar estimating about $330 more a year for an average family and $167 for some gold policies, while Medibank flagged a tougher system as it reported an 11% profit fall and a 5.1% premium rise.