Rate Rise 1 April 2025
Every member will receive notice about RBHS’ premium changes which begin on 1 April 2025.
Your notice is available to view now in the RBHS app's secure inbox or Online Member Services.
As a not-for-profit health fund, we only ever increase premiums to manage the rising cost of health care and ensure we can continue to improve the value of your health cover and provide comprehensive and reliable care. Several factors contribute to this increase including rising healthcare costs and increased usage of healthcare services.
We strive to keep costs down by:
- closely monitoring your cover and looking for savings
- working with the Australian Health Service Alliance (AHSA) to have more negotiating power with hospitals and doctors
- working with industry bodies to lobby the Government for changes that make healthcare more affordable for everyone
- advocating for the Access Gap scheme to reduce out of pocket expenses
We do understand that the cost of living has increased and it can be a tough balance between looking after your health and looking after your budget. If you’re considering whether your cover is still right for you, we are happy to talk you through your options. Please call us on 1800 027 299 – we’re here to help.
There are plenty of reasons that we believe private hospital cover is important. Things like:
- knowing you can have access to private hospitals with state-of-the-art facilities
- being able to choose your doctor
- not having to spend months (even years) on a public hospital waiting list by going into a private hospital
- if you earn over the threshold for Medicare Levy Surcharge and don’t have private hospital cover (currently $97,000 for singles and $194,000 for families), you may have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge.
- avoiding a Lifetime Health Cover loading (by having private hospital cover before you turn 31)
Besides, hospital can be very expensive and that is why having health cover is valuable. The table below shows our most expensive paid on behalf of individual members in the 2024 financial year:
| Hospital claims paid in the 2024 financial year | |
|---|---|
| Admission reason | Total benefit paid |
| Heart and vascular system | $65,033 |
| Brain and nervous system | $61,426 |
| Psychiatric services | $59,875 |
| Rehabilitation | $53,198 |
| Digestive system | $49,232 |
When you think about health insurance, it is important to think about more than just the cost. Health insurance is about giving you more choice for your healthcare, less time waiting for the services you need and (most importantly) the peace of mind to know that you will be looked after when you need it most.
We only ever increase premiums by what it costs to pay claims and keep our fund running. All health fund increases are reviewed and approved by the Government.
If you have paid in advance, you will not have to start paying the new amount until your next payment is due. For example, if you are paid up to 31 May 2025, you will start paying the new amount from 1 June 2025.
Yes, you can prepay for up to 12 months before the rate rise comes into effect. You can do it right now by:
- Credit or debit card – by Monday 31st March 2025 5pm (or before Monday 31st March midnight via the app or Online Member Services)
- Direct debit – by Wednesday 26th March 2025
- BPAY – before your bank's close of business on Thursday 27th March 2025.
For more information, please call us on 1800 027 299.
We can assist members in financial hardship. Call us on 1800 027 299 to talk about options for your personal situation.