<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About 4.4 million Australians could be left paying $815 more a year under a proposed private health insurance rebate cut and increasing premiums, according to new data.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Health Minister Mark Butler last week announced the rebate for those over 65 will be lowered to the same level as everyone else to re-establish "intergenerational equity".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Canstar found that the proposed rebate cuts would mean those aged 65 to 69 would pay $205 more a year, while those aged 70 and over would pay $410 more a year on a gold policy.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/woolworths-sales-surge-but-supermarket-cuts-profit-forecast-amid-petrol-price-spike/25897cbf-1227-400b-95d4-1e3f034394d8" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Woolworths sales up but supermarket cuts profit forecast amid petrol price spike</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under a basic policy, those aged 65 to 69 will still be paying $53 more a year and those aged 70 and over will pay $105 more a year. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The proposed change would affect the 4.4 million people aged over 65 in Australia, according to figures by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Canstar's data insights director Sally Tindall said older Australians have been hit by a "double whammy" after private health insurance premiums increased by an average 4.41 per cent on April 1.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/private-health-insurance-rebate-older-australians-to-pay-more/da5367d6-3c0f-4225-b89e-50eb90498b03" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The rebate cut and premium increase combined could leave the cohort paying between $136 more a year on a basic policy and up to $815 more on a gold policy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a potential double whammy that many older Australians won't be able to afford, particularly those on modest fixed incomes," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-budget-2026-capital-gains-tax-and-negative-gearing-commonwealth-bank-forecast/8c3c5ce4-c8be-4908-a65f-33552fbf3afe" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Likely changes to property tax breaks could fall flat: major bank</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Some may even be forced to reconsider the level of cover they hold."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Butler said the changes would not be welcomed by all, but it was the "right thing to do".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Right now, we subsidise private health cover for Australians over 65 at a higher rate than other Australians," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's not fair between generations."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And it's simply not the best way to spend precious taxpayers' dollars on behalf of older Australians when we need to do so much heavy lifting in Aged Care."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The savings from reducing the rebate for older Australians will be reinvested in aged care.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" 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