Labor's rivals block health rebate cut for pensioners

Key points

• Older Australians will keep their current private health insurance discounts for now, after the coalition and Greens joined forces to block Labor's proposed rebate cut. The measure, announced in May's budget, would have removed extra discounts for over-65s and moved pensioners off subsidised premiums, with about $3 billion in projected savings directed to aged care.
• Coalition Senator Anne Ruston accused the government of declaring war on older Australians. Health Minister Mark Butler called the Senate's decision a travesty and said Labor would reintroduce the bill unchanged.
• He said aged care changes would proceed regardless.