澳大利亚政府提出的取消65岁以上人群购买私人健康保险年龄歧视折扣的立法在参议院遭到否决1。该法案原计划从明年4月开始实施，预计四年内为老年护理节省30亿澳元1。参议院的否决来自反对党、绿党和其他跨党派议员的联合投票，随后卫生部长马克·巴特勒在众议院重新提交了该法案1。
围绕这项立法的争议焦点在于其对老年人的潜在影响。绿党领导人肖布里奇要求将养老金领取者排除在外作为通过法案的条件，并表示"你不能从120万养老金领取者手中夺走10亿澳元"1。独立议员蒙妮克·瑞恩引用议会预算办公室的数据指出，30亿澳元节省的一半将来自最无力承受此类措施的老年人1。政府预测44000名老年人可能因此放弃私人保险，而卫生部的估算则接近80000人1。
The Australian government's legislation to eliminate age-based discounts on private health insurance for people aged 65 and over has encountered a significant legislative obstacle. The Senate rejected the bill on Wednesday, with opposition parties, the Greens, and crossbench members voting together to defeat it 1. The measure was designed to generate approximately 3 billion Australian dollars over four years to fund aged care services, with implementation set to begin in April next year 1.
Following the Senate defeat, Health Minister Mark Butler reintroduced the legislation in the House of Representatives 1. However, the path forward remains uncertain, as the Greens have signaled conditions for supporting a revised version. Greens leader Adam Bandt stated: "You cannot take 10 billion dollars away from 1.2 million pensioners," raising concerns that the savings would disproportionately affect vulnerable retirees 1. Independent MP Monique Ryan cited parliamentary budget office data indicating that half of the projected 3 billion dollars in savings would come from elderly Australians least able to afford the cost 1.
The government estimates that 44,000 older Australians could abandon their private insurance as a result of the rebate cuts, though the Department of Health has suggested the figure could reach approximately 80,000 1. For the policy to advance, the government will likely need to negotiate a compromise, potentially excluding pensioners from the age-based discount removal as the Greens have demanded 1.
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