How the review works
We read your current cover, then look up every complying hospital policy for your state and who is covered in the published PrivateHealth.gov.au premiums. We only show policies at your hospital tier or higher, so a switch never cuts your cover. Each one is priced the same way yours is, after the government rebate for your income, so the saving is a like-for-like number. Then we run the Medicare Levy Surcharge maths to tell you whether you need hospital cover at all.
Should I just pay the surcharge instead?
If your income is only just over the threshold, the surcharge can be smaller than the cheapest complying policy. The review says so plainly when that is the case for your numbers. You can also run that decision on its own with the Medicare Levy Surcharge calculator.
Common questions
- Do I need private health insurance to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge?
- What income triggers the Medicare Levy Surcharge in 2026-27?
- Is it cheaper to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge?
- What happens if I don't get health insurance before 31?
- Basic vs Bronze hospital cover: what does the surcharge require?
Read the full method and every source on the methodology page. Premiums are comparison figures from the 1 August 2026 PrivateHealth.gov.au release; your insurer quote is the source of truth.