Key facts
- On one A$104.05-a-month Basic statement, cover cost a single under 65 with no loading less than the surcharge at every 2026–27 income above A$105,000: by A$2.17 at A$105,001 and A$182.16 at A$123,000. Plain Cover calculation from PHIS GMH/H78/NLXY10 and ATO rates, 8 Nov 2026
- A single parent with a dependent child is income tested against the family thresholds, which start at A$210,000 in 2026–27, not the single A$105,000. ATO, updated 22 Jun 2026
- A singles hospital policy removes the surcharge only if its excess is A$750 or less. Couples and families may carry up to A$1,500. ATO, updated 30 Apr 2026
- The single surcharge threshold rose from A$90,000 in 2022–23 to A$105,000 in 2026–27, so a single on A$100,000 with no hospital cover went from paying A$1,000 a year to nothing. ATO, updated 22 Jun 2026
- A single who joins at 25 with a 10% age-based discount and keeps it saves about A$2,247 on a A$1,248.60-a-year policy before the discount runs out at 45, at 2026 prices. Plain Cover calculation from PrivateHealth.gov.au rules, 8 Nov 2026
What does singles health insurance cost in Australia in 2026–27?
Singles health insurance in Australia is a policy that covers one person, and its price is set by each insurer for each state. No government source publishes an average single premium. As at 8 November 2026, PrivateHealth.gov.au shows prices one statement at a time, so this page quotes real Private Health Information Statements (PHIS), each with the date the insurer issued or updated it.
On seven open one-person hospital statements for NSW and the ACT, the monthly price before the rebate ran from A$104.05 at Basic to A$421.18 at Gold. The table lists them by insurer in alphabetical order. They are examples to show the spread between tiers, not a ranking and not a scan of the market. What each tier must cover is set out in Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic compared.
| One-person hospital policy, NSW and ACT | Tier | Monthly, before rebate | Yearly, before rebate | Yearly after the 24.118% base-tier rebate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bupa Silver Plus Essential Hospital, A$500 excess | Silver Plus | A$186.10 | A$2,233.20 | A$1,694.60 |
| Frank Basic Accident Boost Hospital | Basic | A$104.05 | A$1,248.60 | A$947.46 |
| HBF Basic Hospital Plus, A$750 excess | Basic Plus | A$116.76 | A$1,401.12 | A$1,063.20 |
| HBF Bronze Hospital Plus, A$750 excess | Bronze Plus | A$143.87 | A$1,726.44 | A$1,310.06 |
| HBF Silver Hospital Plus, A$750 excess | Silver Plus | A$255.11 | A$3,061.32 | A$2,322.99 |
| HBF Gold Hospital Elevate, A$750 excess | Gold | A$421.18 | A$5,054.16 | A$3,835.20 |
| Peoplecare Bronze Plus Hospital, A$750 | Bronze Plus | A$140.71 | A$1,688.52 | A$1,281.28 |
Monthly premiums from each PHIS on PrivateHealth.gov.au, issued 1 April 2026 or updated in July 2026, all opened 8 November 2026 and all marked open to new members. Yearly figures and the rebate are a Plain Cover calculation at the ATO’s 2026–27 rate for a single under 65 earning A$105,000 or less. Last verified 8 November 2026.
Every statement in the table says the policy exempts the holder from the Medicare Levy Surcharge. Each one carries a single’s excess at or below the A$750 limit for the surcharge.
Which single MLS thresholds apply in 2026–27, and what does the surcharge cost?
For the 2026–27 income year the Australian Taxation Office charges a single with no appropriate hospital cover a Medicare Levy Surcharge of 1% above A$105,000, 1.25% above A$123,000 and 1.5% above A$164,000 (ATO, updated 22 June 2026, checked 8 November 2026). The rate applies to the whole of the single’s income for surcharge purposes, so one dollar over a line moves the full amount.
The next table sets that surcharge against Frank Basic Accident Boost Hospital, the lowest-priced of the seven one-person statements read on 8 November 2026, at A$1,248.60 a year, after the rebate a single under 65 gets at each tier. It assumes no Lifetime Health Cover loading and no discount.
| Single income for surcharge purposes, 2026–27 | Surcharge, no hospital cover | Frank Basic after that tier’s rebate | Cheaper for the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| A$105,000 | A$0 (base tier) | A$947.46 | No surcharge applies |
| A$105,001 | A$1,050.01 (1%) | A$1,047.84 | Cover, by A$2.17 |
| A$115,000 | A$1,150.00 (1%) | A$1,047.84 | Cover, by A$102.16 |
| A$123,000 | A$1,230.00 (1%) | A$1,047.84 | Cover, by A$182.16 |
| A$123,001 | A$1,537.51 (1.25%) | A$1,148.24 | Cover, by A$389.27 |
| A$164,000 | A$2,050.00 (1.25%) | A$1,148.24 | Cover, by A$901.76 |
| A$164,001 | A$2,460.02 (1.5%) | A$1,248.60 | Cover, by A$1,211.42 |
| A$200,000 | A$3,000.00 (1.5%) | A$1,248.60 | Cover, by A$1,751.40 |
Plain Cover calculation from PHIS GMH/H78/NLXY10 (updated 23 July 2026) and ATO surcharge and rebate rates for 2026–27. Last verified 8 November 2026.
On this statement the policy is the cheaper option for a single at every income that attracts the surcharge, by as little as A$2.17. That differs from the stated A$1,500 example in Basic cover and the surcharge, where the surcharge stays lower across tier 1, because the real premium here is A$251.40 a year less. The same guide sets out which policies count. The policy must carry an excess of A$750 or less for a single, per the ATO’s appropriate-cover page (updated 30 April 2026). The family tiers sit in the Medicare Levy Surcharge 2026–27 guide.
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Compare coverHow have the single surcharge thresholds changed since 2022–23?
The ATO has raised the single Medicare Levy Surcharge threshold in each of the four income years since 2022–23, when it stood at A$90,000. Older articles still print the earlier lines, so a single reading a 2024–25 table in late 2026 can land in the wrong tier. These are the single lines as the ATO publishes them, checked 8 November 2026.
| Income year | No surcharge up to | 1% band | 1.25% band | 1.5% from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | A$90,000 | A$90,001 – A$105,000 | A$105,001 – A$140,000 | A$140,001 |
| 2023–24 | A$93,000 | A$93,001 – A$108,000 | A$108,001 – A$144,000 | A$144,001 |
| 2024–25 | A$97,000 | A$97,001 – A$113,000 | A$113,001 – A$151,000 | A$151,001 |
| 2025–26 | A$101,000 | A$101,001 – A$118,000 | A$118,001 – A$158,000 | A$158,001 |
| 2026–27 | A$105,000 | A$105,001 – A$123,000 | A$123,001 – A$164,000 | A$164,001 |
ATO, Medicare levy surcharge income, thresholds and rates, updated 22 June 2026. Last verified 8 November 2026.
Held at a fixed income, the same single with no hospital cover pays a different surcharge each year.
| Income year | Single on A$100,000 | Single on A$120,000 | Single on A$150,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | A$1,000 | A$1,500 | A$2,250 |
| 2023–24 | A$1,000 | A$1,500 | A$2,250 |
| 2024–25 | A$1,000 | A$1,500 | A$1,875 |
| 2025–26 | A$0 | A$1,500 | A$1,875 |
| 2026–27 | A$0 | A$1,200 | A$1,875 |
Plain Cover calculation on the ATO thresholds above, full year, no cover held. Last verified 8 November 2026.
A single on A$120,000 dropped from the 1.25% band to the 1% band on 1 July 2026, a fall of A$300. Pay rises move the other way, so the tier is worth checking each July.
How much rebate does a single get in 2026–27, in dollars?
The Australian Government Rebate for a single is set by two things: the single’s own income for surcharge purposes, and the single’s age, since the policyholder is the oldest person covered. For a single under 65 in 2026–27 the ATO rate is 24.118% up to A$105,000, 16.079% to A$123,000, 8.038% to A$164,000 and nothing above that. Those rates apply from 1 April 2026; before that date the same tiers paid 24.288%, 16.192% and 8.095% (ATO, updated 22 June 2026, checked 8 November 2026).
| Single under 65, rebate a year | Base tier, to A$105,000 | Tier 1, to A$123,000 | Tier 2, to A$164,000 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Basic, A$1,248.60 | A$301.14 | A$200.76 | A$100.36 | A$0 |
| HBF Bronze Plus, A$1,726.44 | A$416.38 | A$277.59 | A$138.77 | A$0 |
| HBF Gold, A$5,054.16 | A$1,218.96 | A$812.66 | A$406.25 | A$0 |
| Frank Basic at the rate to 31 March 2026 | A$303.26 | A$202.17 | A$101.07 | A$0 |
Plain Cover calculation on the PHIS premiums in the first table and the ATO’s 2026–27 rates, with the 1 July 2025 to 31 March 2026 rates in the last row. Last verified 8 November 2026.
A single aged 65 to 69 on the base tier gets 28.139%, or A$351.34 on the Frank policy, and a single aged 70 or over gets 32.158%, or A$401.52. The ATO says rates from 1 April 2027 will be published in March 2027. A bill to change the rebate for people aged 65 and over, the [No. 2] bill introduced on 15 October 2026, was still before the House of Representatives on 8 November 2026, as tracked in the over-65 rebate change guide. The full table for every age is in the rebate tiers guide.
How does the age-based discount work for singles aged 18 to 29?
Since 1 April 2019 Australian insurers may take up to 10% off the hospital premium of a person who joins aged 18 to 29. PrivateHealth.gov.au sets the scale: 10% at 18 to 25, then 8%, 6%, 4% and 2% at 26, 27, 28 and 29 (checked 8 November 2026). Insurers do not have to offer it, and each one decides whether to honour an existing discount when a member switches.
The discount suits a single policy in a way it does not suit a shared one. On a couples policy the discount is the average of the two adults’ discounts, and a person covered as a dependant on a parent’s family policy cannot hold one at all.
| Age when joining | Discount | Frank Basic, yearly after discount | After the 24.118% rebate | After the 16.079% tier 1 rebate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 to 25 | 10% | A$1,123.74 | A$852.72 | A$943.05 |
| 26 | 8% | A$1,148.71 | A$871.67 | A$964.01 |
| 27 | 6% | A$1,173.68 | A$890.61 | A$984.97 |
| 28 | 4% | A$1,198.66 | A$909.56 | A$1,005.92 |
| 29 | 2% | A$1,223.63 | A$928.51 | A$1,026.88 |
Plain Cover calculation on PHIS GMH/H78/NLXY10 at A$1,248.60 a year, assuming the insurer offers the discount. Last verified 8 November 2026.
The discount lasts. PrivateHealth.gov.au says it is kept until age 41 and then falls by 2% a year until it reaches zero. A single who joins at 25 holds 10% for 16 years, from 25 to 40, then 8%, 6%, 4% and 2% from 41 to 44. At today’s Frank Basic premium that is 1.8 years of premium, about A$2,247.48 in total, before any price rise.
What changes for a single at 31?
Lifetime Health Cover loading is the second age rule for a single, and on a one-person policy it falls on that person alone. PrivateHealth.gov.au says hospital cover taken out after the 1 July following your 31st birthday costs 2% more for each year over 30, based on your age on the 1 July before you join, up to 70% (checked 8 November 2026). The loading comes off after 10 years of continuous hospital cover. Extras cover never carries it.
On the Frank Basic statement at A$1,248.60 a year, each 2% of loading adds A$24.97. A single who first buys hospital cover aged 35 carries 10%, or A$124.86 a year, and one who waits until 40 carries 20%, or A$249.72. The rebate is never paid on the loading, so a single in tier 1 still pays every dollar of it.
The age-based discount and the loading never overlap for one person. The discount needs a joining age under 30, and the loading starts after 31. A single who joins at 29 gets a 2% discount and no loading. The exact deadline for each birth date is in turning 31, and the 1,094-day rule for gaps is in the Lifetime Health Cover loading guide.
Is extras-only cover enough for a single?
Extras-only cover, which the law calls general treatment, pays towards dental, optical, physiotherapy and similar services outside hospital in Australia. For a single it does two things less than people expect. The ATO says general cover is not private patient hospital cover, so it never removes the Medicare Levy Surcharge (ATO, updated 30 April 2026). And PrivateHealth.gov.au applies the Lifetime Health Cover loading to hospital cover only, so extras on its own never stops the loading clock either.
What a single gets is limits that are not shared. These ten open one-person extras statements for NSW and the ACT are listed by insurer, alphabetically.
| One-person extras policy, NSW and ACT | Monthly, before rebate | Yearly, before rebate | Yearly after the 24.118% rebate |
|---|---|---|---|
| ahm black 50 saver | A$21.25 | A$255.00 | A$193.50 |
| Bupa Core Extras | A$57.10 | A$685.20 | A$519.94 |
| Bupa Top Extras 90 | A$217.10 | A$2,605.20 | A$1,976.88 |
| HCF Mid Extras | A$49.40 | A$592.80 | A$449.83 |
| Medibank Comprehensive Extras | A$80.40 | A$964.80 | A$732.11 |
| nib Core Extras | A$55.30 | A$663.60 | A$503.55 |
| nib DentalPass | A$3.84 | A$46.08 | A$34.97 |
| Peoplecare Simple Extras | A$39.55 | A$474.60 | A$360.14 |
| see-u by HBF Starter Extras | A$25.87 | A$310.44 | A$235.57 |
| Westfund Mid Extras | A$63.18 | A$758.16 | A$575.31 |
PHIS on PrivateHealth.gov.au issued or updated between 1 April and 1 October 2026, opened 8 November 2026. Yearly and rebate figures are a Plain Cover calculation. Last verified 8 November 2026.
The lowest price is a one-person-only product. The nib DentalPass statement says it is sold only on a single scale, only on its own, pays towards three check-up item numbers, and has a A$50 yearly limit, against a A$46.08 premium. More on dental limits is in the dental cover guide.
Why the ATO may not treat you as single, even on a singles policy
A singles policy is a product. “Single” for the surcharge and the rebate is a tax status, and the two do not always match. These are the cases the ATO’s own pages set out (checked 8 November 2026), and each one changes the threshold a person is tested against.
| Situation in 2026–27 | Rebate tested against | Surcharge tested against | Whose income counts for the rebate |
|---|---|---|---|
| No spouse and no dependants all year | Single, A$105,000 | Single, A$105,000 | Yours |
| Single parent with a dependent child | Family, A$210,000 | Family, A$210,000 | Yours |
| Had a partner, separated, single with no children on 30 June | Single | Single after the separation | Yours |
| Single most of the year, partner on 30 June | Family | Family for the period with a partner | Yours and your partner’s, for the full year |
ATO rebate thresholds page (updated 22 June 2026) and ATO family and dependants page (updated 21 August 2026). Last verified 8 November 2026.
Two rules drive the table. For the rebate, the ATO uses family status on 30 June, so a person who moves in with a partner in May is tested on the couple’s combined income for the whole year. For the surcharge, the ATO counts a person as a member of a family for any period in which they had a spouse or a dependent child and contributed to their upkeep. A child is a dependant if under 21, or 21 to 24 and studying full time. A rebate tier nominated with the insurer on the wrong status is corrected at tax time, and the ATO shows in its own examples that too much rebate claimed is repaid as a liability on the notice of assessment.
What changes when a single gets a partner?
A single who starts living with a partner in Australia does not have to change policy, but the tax rules change around the singles policy at once. Four things move, on the ATO and PrivateHealth.gov.au pages checked 8 November 2026.
First, the surcharge. For each period with a partner the couple is tested on combined income against the family threshold, A$210,000 in 2026–27, and the ATO says the surcharge applies if any member of the family lacks appropriate hospital cover. A singles policy covers one person. The partner needs cover too, either on a couples policy or on one of their own.
Second, the excess limit doubles. A couples or family policy removes the surcharge with an excess up to A$1,500, against A$750 for a single.
Third, the age rules are shared. On a couples policy PrivateHealth.gov.au averages the two adults’ Lifetime Health Cover loadings, so 22% and 0% become 11%, and averages their age-based discounts, so 10% and 6% become 8%.
Fourth, a baby needs a different membership. PrivateHealth.gov.au says a newborn is covered only once the parent moves to a family or single parent membership, which insurers may require months before the birth.
Worked example: two singles on A$112,000, aged 24 and 36
Ava and Ben are both single, both live in Sydney and both earn A$112,000 in 2026–27, all salary. Neither has held hospital cover in Australia. Both look at the same Frank Basic Accident Boost Hospital statement, A$1,248.60 a year before the rebate. Both are in rebate tier 1 at 16.079%, and with no cover both would pay a 1% surcharge of A$1,120.
Ava is 24. If the insurer offers the age-based discount she gets 10%.
- Premium after the discount: A$1,248.60 minus A$124.86 = A$1,123.74.
- Rebate: 16.079% of A$1,123.74 = A$180.69.
- Net cost: A$943.05 a year, about A$78.59 a month.
- Against the A$1,120 surcharge, cover costs A$176.95 less.
Ben is 36 on 1 July 2026, so his loading is 2% for each of 6 years over 30, which is 12%.
- Loading: 12% of A$1,248.60 = A$149.83.
- Rebate: 16.079% of A$1,248.60 = A$200.76, never on the loading.
- Net cost: A$1,248.60 + A$149.83 − A$200.76 = A$1,197.67 a year, about A$99.81 a month.
- Against the A$1,120 surcharge, cover costs A$77.67 more.
Same income, same policy, opposite answer. Ben’s gap is the loading. If his income passed A$123,000 the surcharge would jump to at least A$1,537.51 while his cost rose only to A$1,298.07, and cover would be cheaper. Ben’s loading comes off after 10 years of continuous cover. All figures are a Plain Cover calculation from the PHIS and the ATO and PrivateHealth.gov.au rules, checked 8 November 2026.
Which cover do singles in different situations typically weigh up?
No one policy suits every single person in Australia. The question is what the cover has to do: remove a surcharge, stop a loading, pay for a known treatment, or none of those. This table sets out what each situation usually turns on, using the ATO and PrivateHealth.gov.au rules quoted on this page. It is not a recommendation.
| Single’s situation, 2026–27 | Surcharge? | Loading? | What the decision usually turns on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 31, income A$105,000 or less | No | Not yet | Whether hospital cover is wanted at all; the discount if joining under 30 |
| Under 31, income above A$105,000 | Yes, from 1% | Not yet | A compliant hospital policy, which on the Frank example costs less than the surcharge |
| 31 or over, never held cover, income above A$105,000 | Yes | Yes, 2% a year over 30 | The loading against the surcharge, as in Ben’s example |
| Any age, income A$105,000 or less, wants dental or optical | No | Not affected by extras | Extras limits against the premium |
| Single parent | Family thresholds | As for any adult | A single parent or family membership, not a singles policy |
Plain Cover summary of the ATO and PrivateHealth.gov.au rules checked 8 November 2026. Last verified 8 November 2026.
This page is general information, not personal advice, and does not take any person’s objectives, finances or needs into account. It does not compare every feature of every policy. The surcharge calculator runs the tax side for one income, and current prices for a given age and state can be requested through compare health insurance.