Health insurance rebates trimmed - The Australian

WAYNE Swan has talked up the commonwealth's ability to influence health inflation after slashing $1.1 billion in private health insurance subsidies, effectively increasing the impact of future premium increases on Australia's 10 million health fund members.

Less than four months after introducing a means test for the 30 per cent rebate, the Treasurer has again scaled back coverage and foreshadowed further reforms in the private health insurance sector to reduce the cost burden the government has inevitably shifted to consumers.