Medicare Levy Surcharge Calculator 2026–27
Find your Medicare levy surcharge for 2026–27 as a single or family, the income tiers of 1%, 1.25% and 1.5%, and whether hospital cover costs less.
| Tier | Single | Family | Rate |
|---|
2026–27 thresholds from the ATO. The surcharge applies if you have no appropriate private hospital cover, on top of the 2% Medicare levy; couples are tested on combined income but each pays on their own income. The family threshold rises by $1,500 for each child after the first.
What it does
The Medicare levy surcharge encourages people with higher incomes to take out private hospital cover. If your income for MLS purposes is above the threshold and you have no appropriate cover, you pay an extra 1% to 1.5% on top of the Medicare levy. The calculator shows your tier and compares the surcharge with a policy.
How to use it
- Choose single or family and type your income for MLS purposes.
- For a family, type your spouse's income and the number of dependent children.
- Type the cost of hospital cover to see which is cheaper.
The arithmetic runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere and nothing is stored, so you can use these with real numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Medicare levy surcharge?
1%, 1.25% or 1.5% of your income for MLS purposes. A single person with $117,000, including fringe benefits, is in tier 1 and pays $1,170.
What are the MLS thresholds for 2026–27?
Singles: no surcharge up to $105,000, 1% up to $123,000, 1.25% up to $164,000 and 1.5% above. Families: $210,000, $246,000 and $328,000.
Is private hospital cover cheaper than the surcharge?
Compare the premium with the surcharge for both of you. A couple with 2 children and $230,000 of income pays 1% each, $2,300 in total, so family cover costing $1,800 saves $500.
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