How can we help?
Popular searches
back to results
Related Questions
If you can't find your answer, contact us:
Message us

Reach out or reply anytime, anywhere with convenience. Your banking needs, answered in 24 hours by logging into the ING app or your online banking. To find Messages, look in the left hand menu to leave us a message.

ING Health Insurance

  1. Home
  2. ING Health Insurance
  3. Private healthcare explained

Private healthcare explained

Aussie healthcare

If you're an Australian citizen or a permanent resident, you'll likely have access to Medicare.

Medicare is Australia's public healthcare system that covers part or all of the cost of Medicare-approved procedures performed by a GP or specialist.

It also provides you with free hospital treatment and accommodation in a public hospital.

So why would you need anything else?

So why would you need anything else?

Medicare doesn't cover all costs you might incur due to a medical event, such as the cost of an ambulance. If you have an emergency it can be up to $6,500 in New South Wales and $1,800 in Victoria.

You may also have to wait for treatment if you use the public health system. For example, if you bung your knee doing your home workout, say, and you need to see a specialist for surgery you'll be in the queue. You also won't be able to choose your specialist.

Medicare doesn't cover things like glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids or therapies such as remedial massage either.

Support when you need it most

Support when you need it most

Essentially private health insurance could bring you peace of mind for accident cover and gives you choice should you ever need to use it.

ING Health Insurance offers different levels of Hospital and Extras cover to suit your needs depending your health requirements.

Hospital cover

Benefits of Hospital cover

  • Access to treatment in private hospitals
  • Avoid public hospital waiting lists
  • Choose which specialists treat you, when and where
  • Unlimited ambulance cover for those not covered by state ambulance schemes.
Extras cover

Benefits of Extras cover

  • Cover for everyday services not covered by Medicare such as a visit to the physio, chiropractor or a dental check-up
  • Complementary medicine is included such as natural therapies, which include remedial massage and acupuncture
  • Choice of provider as long as they are recognised by our partner nib
  • Depending on your level of cover, receive 60 - 75% back up to your annual limit.

Select your cover options and get a quote in less than 2 minutes

Get a quote

Rather talk? Call 1800 111 831. For operating hours, contact us here.

It can be a smart move to take out Health Insurance

It can be a smart move to take out health insurance

Here are some government initiatives you should know about that are designed to encourage Australians to take out Hospital cover.

You might be able to avoid paying additional tax

If you're single and start earning over $97K, you could pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), if you don't have the appropriate level of Hospital cover.

Learn more

You can avoid Lifetime Health Cover Loading

If you're turning 31 and don't have private Hospital cover, the Lifetime Health Cover Loading (LHC) could impact you for years to come.

Learn more

Start early and you can get an Age-based discount

Age-based discounts are calculated as 2% for each year that a policyholder is under 30, up to a maximum of 10% for a policyholder aged 18 to 25.

Learn more

Medicare Levy Surcharge: if your income is over $97,000 for singles ($194,000 for couples/families) and you take out and maintain Hospital cover for the full financial year, you could avoid paying an extra 1% to 1.5% in tax via the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS). Visit the Australian Tax Office website for specific rules for calculating income for MLS purposes.

The government might chip in a rebate too

The government might chip in a rebate too

To help with the cost of private health insurance, the Federal Government provides many Australians with a rebate, known as the Australian Government Rebate.

If you earn an income of $140,000 or less as a single, or $280,000 or less as a family (see table below) you are eligible for the rebate. All the people listed on the health insurance policy must be eligible to claim Medicare for you to receive the rebate.

If you are eligible for the rebate, use the below table to find out which rebate you fall into and what percentage of your premium the Australian Government will cover.

The rebate percentages are set annually by the Australian Government. Please note that if you have a Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading, the rebate is not claimable on the LHC loading component of your premium.

Rebate for singles based on your age and taxable income for the 2023/2024 financial year:

Income for the 2022/2023 financial year
Age < 65
Age 65-69
Age 70+

Base Tier

$97,000 or less
24.608%
28.710%
32.812%

Tier 1

$97,001 - $113,000
16.405%
20.507%
24.608%

Tier 2

$113,001 - $151,000
8.202%
12.303%
16.405%

Tier 3

$151,001 or more
0%
0%
0%

Source: Australian Tax Office. These thresholds apply for the 2023/2024 financial year. For families, and single parent families the threshold increases by $1,500 for each dependant child after the first. There are specific rules for calculating income for Medicare Levy Surcharge purposes. For more information visit the Australian Tax Office.

Rebate for couples, families and single parent families
(based on the age of the oldest person on the policy and your combined annual taxable income):

Combined income for the 2022/2023 financial year
Age < 65
Age 65-69
Age 70+

Base Tier

$194,000 or less
24.608%
28.710%
32.812%

Tier 1

$194,001 - $226,000
16.405%
20.507%
24.608%

Tier 2

$226,001 - $302,000
8.202%
12.303%
16.405%

Tier 3

$302,001 or more
0%
0%
0%

Source: Australian Tax Office. These thresholds apply for the 2023/2024 financial year. For families, and single parent families the threshold increases by $1,500 for each dependant child after the first. There are specific rules for calculating income for Medicare Levy Surcharge purposes. For more information visit the Australian Tax Office.

Options to claim your rebate

Options to claim your rebate

You can nominate your level of rebate via ING Health Insurance member services or calling us on 1800 111 831.

Most people claim the rebate upfront as it reduces the amount that you pay your fund - just set your rebate tier when you join. You can also claim the rebate at tax time if you prefer to or if you forget to select your rebate tier upfront.

Finally if you select a rebate tier which is lower or higher than what you're entitled to from the Government you will see the difference returned or charged to you when you lodge your tax return.

Things you should know:
  • To be eligible for the rebate, all members listed on the policy must be eligible for Medicare.
  • The policyholder needs to let the fund know that they wish to claim the rebate when they join (or otherwise complete an application to receive the Australian Government Rebate or provide this information via the fund's website).
  • If the policyholder does not inform the fund that they wish to claim the rebate, the fund will not apply the rebate. This may result in higher premium payments, but the rebate can be claimed at tax time.
  • If the policyholder applies a rebate in excess of their entitlement, the difference will be worked out at tax time by the Australian Tax Office which means you may have a tax bill or credit for the difference.

Select your cover options and get a quote in less than 2 minutes

Get a quote

Rather talk? Call 1800 111 831. For operating hours, contact us here.