Big hike in private health premiums

Australians with private health insurance are facing premium hikes that are nearly three times the rate of inflation.

Health Minister Sussan Ley has approved April 1 increases averaging 6.18 per cent.

She justified the increases by citing a $1 billion lift in total benefits paid to policyholders in the year to the end of December.

Insurers paid out $17.3 billion in total, up 7.4 per cent on the previous year.