17 July 2019 - While there are many who have strong ideological objections to the use of taxpayers' money to subsidise private health insurance, the issue is not as black and white as it seems.

How much would the Medicare levy be, and at what income rate would it have to kick in, if private insurance folded and the public health sector had to take up the slack?

These questions, and the debate surrounding them, are now more topical than ever thanks to a Grattan Institute report that warned private health insurance is on the verge of a "death spiral" in which young and healthy people pull out, leaving only older, unhealthier and much more expensive users.

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