AU Medicare Levy & HELP Calculator 2026/27
Calculate your Medicare Levy (2%), Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), and HELP/HECS compulsory repayments. Uses 2026/27 rates and thresholds.
Understanding Medicare and HELP costs
The Medicare Levy is a 2% tax on your taxable income that funds Australia's public healthcare system. Low-income earners are exempt below $24,276 with a gradual phase-in up to $30,000. The Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) is an additional charge for singles earning over $93,000 (or families over $186,000) who don't have appropriate private hospital cover — it's designed to encourage people to take out private health insurance. HELP/HECS is Australia's student loan program; compulsory repayments begin when your income exceeds $55,000, with rates increasing from 1% to 10% at higher incomes.
2026/27 rates: Medicare Levy 2% (exempt below $24,276, $38,365 for seniors). MLS up to 1.5% ($93k/$186k thresholds). HELP repayment rates from 1% to 10% above $55,000.
AU Medicare Levy & HELP Calculator 2026/27
Free Australian Medicare Levy (2%), MLS surcharge, and HELP/HECS repayment calculator. Estimate your total healthcare and student loan costs.
How your $85,000 taxable income is split
Cost Breakdown
Costs at Different Income Levels
How each component works
Medicare Levy: The standard 2% levy applies to most taxpayers. If your taxable income is below $24,276 you're exempt. There's a phase-in range between $24,276 and $30,000 where the levy is gradually applied. Senior Australians and pensioners have a higher exemption threshold of $38,365.
Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS): This only applies if you don't have appropriate private hospital cover. For singles earning over $93,000 the surcharge ranges from 1% to 1.5% of taxable income. For families the thresholds are doubled and adjusted by $1,500 per child after the first. Getting hospital cover eliminates the surcharge entirely.
HELP/HECS Repayments: If you have a Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) or HECS debt, compulsory repayments are collected through the tax system. The repayment rate is a percentage of your income ranging from 1% at $55,001 to 10% above $205,000.
Private health insurance and MLS
The MLS is designed to encourage higher-income earners to take out private hospital cover. If you're in the surcharge income bracket, the cost of private health insurance may be less than the MLS you'd pay. Note that you need appropriate hospital cover (not just extras/ancillary cover) to avoid the MLS.