Private health premium findings explained

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is calling for simpler, more transparent health insurance in the release of its latest report.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has released a report shining a spotlight on private health insurance premiums.

WHAT DID THE ACCC FIND?

* Australians paid about $23.1 billion in premiums in 2016-17, an increase of $1 billion from the previous year.

* As at June 2017, 54.9 per cent of Australians held hospital or general health insurance cover - down 0.6 per cent from the year before.

* Health insurers paid 5.2 per cent more in hospital benefits, and 3.4 per cent more in benefits per person.

* Out-of-pocket expenses decreased by less than a per cent but increased by two per cent for general or extra treatments.

* Consumers are shifting towards lower-cost policies with greater exclusions or a higher excess.

* Complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman increased by 30 per cent.