All Australian citizens eligible for Medicare also have access to the Australian Government Rebate on private health insurance, which is a subsidy on the cost of private health insurance. This rebate is paid by the Australian Government, on behalf of the consumer, directly to the health fund.

The Australian Government Rebate is income tested which simply means a person’s eligibility for this benefit is determined by their level of assessable income for tax purposes, if your adjusted taxable income is over the defined tiers then the amount of rebate you receive may be reduced (or removed completely.) To determine your rebate please use the table below

Private Health Insurance Tiers for 2012-13

For families with children, the thresholds are increased by $1,500 for each child after the first child.

To receive the rebate as a reduction on your contribution, you need to complete the appropriate section of the membership application.

Note that eligibility for a rebate is income-tested and a decision to participate may require you to repay the rebate (or part of it) back to the Australian Tax Office (ATO) after you have completed your tax return.