Overview
- The AMA’s new report card finds premiums have risen faster than inflation and wages since 2008 as returns to patients lag.
- Insurers returned about 84% of premiums in 2024–25, down from 88% in 2019, while sector profits rose nearly 50% over six years and in‑hospital medical benefits grew 18.1%.
- Nearly 70% of policies now include exclusions, and about 360,000 gold‑tier policies have disappeared since March 2020 as consumers downgrade cover.
- Benefit payments vary widely for identical procedures, including nearly a 30% difference for an uncomplicated childbirth and state‑by‑state gaps for surgeries such as cataracts.
- The AMA calls for a 90% minimum benefits return and an independent private health authority, as private hospitals warn of severe financial strain, insurers cite record payouts and affordability, and the Health Minister presses for lower premium rises.