Latest news with #MedicalCostsFinder
The Advertiser
31-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
As Healthscope's fate looms, Lake Macquarie Private Hospital is expanding
Consumer law won't allow Ramsay Health Care to buy the up-for-sale Newcastle Private Hospital. So said Lake Macquarie Private Hospital CEO Sharon Rewitt when asked about the prospect. "The ACCC wouldn't easily give us another hospital in the Hunter. It doesn't like anyone to dominate completely," Ms Rewitt said. "We already have a big footprint here." Ramsay owns Lake Macquarie and Warners Bay private hospitals, and officially opened a $20 million surgical centre in Charlestown earlier this month. A $45 million, six-storey expansion of Lake Macquarie Private at Gateshead gained state planning approval in May. An earlier plan for a $120 million, 10-storey tower was also approved. Given the volatility of the market, Ramsay is considering when and how to proceed. However, a concussion clinic and stroke unit have been established and the oncology unit has expanded at the Gateshead site. Newcastle Private is among the 37 hospitals owned by Healthscope, which is in receivership and expected to be broken up. It was reported this week that Ramsay was among nine parties to express interest in Healthscope hospitals. "Ramsay has publicly said we would be interested in some of the hospitals in areas where we are not," Ms Rewitt said. She said the private health sector in Newcastle was "a very competitive environment". "People are a lot more discerning now. They have information. "They can say, 'I don't want to go to that hospital because I don't think they're good. I want to go to this hospital'." The cost of surgery and seeing specialists in the private sector has come under scrutiny. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said in March that the Albanese government would upgrade the Medical Costs Finder website. The website will display the average fee charged by specialists, including surgery prices, alongside the national average. Mr Butler said the cost of medical and hospital services was "a key driver of health inflation for consumers". He said this fed into "higher out-of-pocket costs and higher private health insurance premiums". Ms Rewitt said labour and supply costs had "gone up significantly and remain challenging". "Post-COVID, nothing really returned to normal. Over the last few years, there's definitely been an erosion of margins," she said. Private hospitals have been locked in a battle with health insurers for higher payments to cover the rising costs of treating patients. In March, Mr Butler threatened health insurers with "regulatory action" if they did not take "immediate steps" to boost funding to private hospitals. Asked if her hospital had experienced a boost, Ms Rewitt said "we have". "We're still in negotiations with a few of the insurers." She said the price of surgeries was "dictated by what we get from the health funds". "They say to us, this is what you'll get for this and that service." The federal health department states that "doctors set their own fees for private medical services". "Many doctors and insurers use gap arrangements to remove or reduce your gap payment. "Fees for the same type and quality of care might vary, depending on who you see and where they are located." Ms Rewitt said the healthcare sector must "find new ways of doing things". "People are getting older and living much longer. They live with lots of comorbidities." She said there was a lot of change and opportunity ahead. "We do a lot more work now with robotics. Patients spend a lot less time in hospital. They recover better. "The question then is, what resources are available after they've left the hospital." Consumer law won't allow Ramsay Health Care to buy the up-for-sale Newcastle Private Hospital. So said Lake Macquarie Private Hospital CEO Sharon Rewitt when asked about the prospect. "The ACCC wouldn't easily give us another hospital in the Hunter. It doesn't like anyone to dominate completely," Ms Rewitt said. "We already have a big footprint here." Ramsay owns Lake Macquarie and Warners Bay private hospitals, and officially opened a $20 million surgical centre in Charlestown earlier this month. A $45 million, six-storey expansion of Lake Macquarie Private at Gateshead gained state planning approval in May. An earlier plan for a $120 million, 10-storey tower was also approved. Given the volatility of the market, Ramsay is considering when and how to proceed. However, a concussion clinic and stroke unit have been established and the oncology unit has expanded at the Gateshead site. Newcastle Private is among the 37 hospitals owned by Healthscope, which is in receivership and expected to be broken up. It was reported this week that Ramsay was among nine parties to express interest in Healthscope hospitals. "Ramsay has publicly said we would be interested in some of the hospitals in areas where we are not," Ms Rewitt said. She said the private health sector in Newcastle was "a very competitive environment". "People are a lot more discerning now. They have information. "They can say, 'I don't want to go to that hospital because I don't think they're good. I want to go to this hospital'." The cost of surgery and seeing specialists in the private sector has come under scrutiny. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said in March that the Albanese government would upgrade the Medical Costs Finder website. The website will display the average fee charged by specialists, including surgery prices, alongside the national average. Mr Butler said the cost of medical and hospital services was "a key driver of health inflation for consumers". He said this fed into "higher out-of-pocket costs and higher private health insurance premiums". Ms Rewitt said labour and supply costs had "gone up significantly and remain challenging". "Post-COVID, nothing really returned to normal. Over the last few years, there's definitely been an erosion of margins," she said. Private hospitals have been locked in a battle with health insurers for higher payments to cover the rising costs of treating patients. In March, Mr Butler threatened health insurers with "regulatory action" if they did not take "immediate steps" to boost funding to private hospitals. Asked if her hospital had experienced a boost, Ms Rewitt said "we have". "We're still in negotiations with a few of the insurers." She said the price of surgeries was "dictated by what we get from the health funds". "They say to us, this is what you'll get for this and that service." The federal health department states that "doctors set their own fees for private medical services". "Many doctors and insurers use gap arrangements to remove or reduce your gap payment. "Fees for the same type and quality of care might vary, depending on who you see and where they are located." Ms Rewitt said the healthcare sector must "find new ways of doing things". "People are getting older and living much longer. They live with lots of comorbidities." She said there was a lot of change and opportunity ahead. "We do a lot more work now with robotics. Patients spend a lot less time in hospital. They recover better. "The question then is, what resources are available after they've left the hospital." Consumer law won't allow Ramsay Health Care to buy the up-for-sale Newcastle Private Hospital. So said Lake Macquarie Private Hospital CEO Sharon Rewitt when asked about the prospect. "The ACCC wouldn't easily give us another hospital in the Hunter. It doesn't like anyone to dominate completely," Ms Rewitt said. "We already have a big footprint here." Ramsay owns Lake Macquarie and Warners Bay private hospitals, and officially opened a $20 million surgical centre in Charlestown earlier this month. A $45 million, six-storey expansion of Lake Macquarie Private at Gateshead gained state planning approval in May. An earlier plan for a $120 million, 10-storey tower was also approved. Given the volatility of the market, Ramsay is considering when and how to proceed. However, a concussion clinic and stroke unit have been established and the oncology unit has expanded at the Gateshead site. Newcastle Private is among the 37 hospitals owned by Healthscope, which is in receivership and expected to be broken up. It was reported this week that Ramsay was among nine parties to express interest in Healthscope hospitals. "Ramsay has publicly said we would be interested in some of the hospitals in areas where we are not," Ms Rewitt said. She said the private health sector in Newcastle was "a very competitive environment". "People are a lot more discerning now. They have information. "They can say, 'I don't want to go to that hospital because I don't think they're good. I want to go to this hospital'." The cost of surgery and seeing specialists in the private sector has come under scrutiny. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said in March that the Albanese government would upgrade the Medical Costs Finder website. The website will display the average fee charged by specialists, including surgery prices, alongside the national average. Mr Butler said the cost of medical and hospital services was "a key driver of health inflation for consumers". He said this fed into "higher out-of-pocket costs and higher private health insurance premiums". Ms Rewitt said labour and supply costs had "gone up significantly and remain challenging". "Post-COVID, nothing really returned to normal. Over the last few years, there's definitely been an erosion of margins," she said. Private hospitals have been locked in a battle with health insurers for higher payments to cover the rising costs of treating patients. In March, Mr Butler threatened health insurers with "regulatory action" if they did not take "immediate steps" to boost funding to private hospitals. Asked if her hospital had experienced a boost, Ms Rewitt said "we have". "We're still in negotiations with a few of the insurers." She said the price of surgeries was "dictated by what we get from the health funds". "They say to us, this is what you'll get for this and that service." The federal health department states that "doctors set their own fees for private medical services". "Many doctors and insurers use gap arrangements to remove or reduce your gap payment. "Fees for the same type and quality of care might vary, depending on who you see and where they are located." Ms Rewitt said the healthcare sector must "find new ways of doing things". "People are getting older and living much longer. They live with lots of comorbidities." She said there was a lot of change and opportunity ahead. "We do a lot more work now with robotics. Patients spend a lot less time in hospital. They recover better. "The question then is, what resources are available after they've left the hospital." Consumer law won't allow Ramsay Health Care to buy the up-for-sale Newcastle Private Hospital. So said Lake Macquarie Private Hospital CEO Sharon Rewitt when asked about the prospect. "The ACCC wouldn't easily give us another hospital in the Hunter. It doesn't like anyone to dominate completely," Ms Rewitt said. "We already have a big footprint here." Ramsay owns Lake Macquarie and Warners Bay private hospitals, and officially opened a $20 million surgical centre in Charlestown earlier this month. A $45 million, six-storey expansion of Lake Macquarie Private at Gateshead gained state planning approval in May. An earlier plan for a $120 million, 10-storey tower was also approved. Given the volatility of the market, Ramsay is considering when and how to proceed. However, a concussion clinic and stroke unit have been established and the oncology unit has expanded at the Gateshead site. Newcastle Private is among the 37 hospitals owned by Healthscope, which is in receivership and expected to be broken up. It was reported this week that Ramsay was among nine parties to express interest in Healthscope hospitals. "Ramsay has publicly said we would be interested in some of the hospitals in areas where we are not," Ms Rewitt said. She said the private health sector in Newcastle was "a very competitive environment". "People are a lot more discerning now. They have information. "They can say, 'I don't want to go to that hospital because I don't think they're good. I want to go to this hospital'." The cost of surgery and seeing specialists in the private sector has come under scrutiny. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said in March that the Albanese government would upgrade the Medical Costs Finder website. The website will display the average fee charged by specialists, including surgery prices, alongside the national average. Mr Butler said the cost of medical and hospital services was "a key driver of health inflation for consumers". He said this fed into "higher out-of-pocket costs and higher private health insurance premiums". Ms Rewitt said labour and supply costs had "gone up significantly and remain challenging". "Post-COVID, nothing really returned to normal. Over the last few years, there's definitely been an erosion of margins," she said. Private hospitals have been locked in a battle with health insurers for higher payments to cover the rising costs of treating patients. In March, Mr Butler threatened health insurers with "regulatory action" if they did not take "immediate steps" to boost funding to private hospitals. Asked if her hospital had experienced a boost, Ms Rewitt said "we have". "We're still in negotiations with a few of the insurers." She said the price of surgeries was "dictated by what we get from the health funds". "They say to us, this is what you'll get for this and that service." The federal health department states that "doctors set their own fees for private medical services". "Many doctors and insurers use gap arrangements to remove or reduce your gap payment. "Fees for the same type and quality of care might vary, depending on who you see and where they are located." Ms Rewitt said the healthcare sector must "find new ways of doing things". "People are getting older and living much longer. They live with lots of comorbidities." She said there was a lot of change and opportunity ahead. "We do a lot more work now with robotics. Patients spend a lot less time in hospital. They recover better. "The question then is, what resources are available after they've left the hospital."
The Age
15-06-2025
- Health
- The Age
Five graphs that show how the cost of seeing a doctor has skyrocketed
Since 2010, average out-of-pocket costs for visiting a GP have risen from $7 to $11 in real terms. Over the same time, average specialist costs have soared 73 per cent, from $45 to $78 in today's money. About 40 per cent of Australians see a specialist each year. Most of these appointments – about two in three – are private, where patients receive a Medicare rebate and almost always pay a fee. Those who choose to go public pay with their time. Across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, there are 50 specialities with waiting times of more than a year. For some, the wait was longer than three years. High fees reflect an 'uncompetitive' market While some countries, including Canada and France, set some limitations on specialist fees, there is no such regulation in Australia. Specialists here are allowed to set their prices. When patients are quoted a hefty fee for a particular service, they can find it difficult to shop around because there is no easy way to compare prices. The Grattan report said the government's revamped Medical Costs Finder website was a 'positive step', but this is unlikely to be in place for some time – the legislation is expected to be introduced to parliament later this year. The report also identified issues with training pipelines for doctors wanting to enter in-demand fields. The authors said medical colleges – responsible for training specialists – were 'not set up to solve workforce shortages'. They suggested more than $300 million in government spending could go towards boosting training opportunities and directing qualified doctors towards areas of greatest need. Loading Dr Astha Tomar, president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, said the efforts of medical colleges to enforce safety and quality standards were not a barrier to entry, and welcomed further government funding to get more doctors into psychiatry – which is among the highest charging specialties. The report also proposed denying Medicare claims from specialists who charge more than triple the government-funded rebate – something that has long been proposed but would be difficult to implement. The cost of a first appointment has increased The next chart shows how much the median cost of each specialty has risen in the past five years. The median cost of a first appointment with a psychiatrist is now $240, almost $100 more expensive than in 2018. More than half of nephrology (kidney) and cardiology appointments were bulk-billed five years ago, but each now incurs an average out-of-pocket cost of $37 and $67, respectively. One proposal to fix this is to reduce the need for one-off referrals by enabling GPs to seek written advice from a specialist within three days. The report estimated this could avert 68,000 referrals and save patients $4 million a year. Even low-income families face high out-of-pocket costs On average, Australians spend about $300 a year on specialists. Even in low-income households, the report found 72 per cent of people who saw a private specialist paid a bill at least once. It means one in five Australians needing specialist care delay or avoid care. Every year, 1.9 million people miss out on treatment, and half do so because of cost. For many, the public system is their only option. But that is not viable for those who don't have years to wait for an appointment or live outside major capital cities. Health services are concentrated in our cities It makes sense that most specialists live and work in major cities – they are home to the majority of Australia's population, our research institutions and our busiest and most well-resourced hospitals. But even when accounting for population and need, Sydneysiders and Melburnians are still far better off than their counterparts in the regions. The researchers created a model estimating how many appointments were available per person per year, adjusting for the demographic needs of each community (such as age, Indigenous status and prevalence of chronic health conditions). They estimated the government would need to spend $470 million to boost access to specialist appointments in 81 communities with the lowest access to care. This would provide 1 million face-to-face and telehealth appointments to those most in need.
Sydney Morning Herald
15-06-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Five graphs that show how the cost of seeing a doctor has skyrocketed
Since 2010, average out-of-pocket costs for visiting a GP have risen from $7 to $11 in real terms. Over the same time, average specialist costs have soared 73 per cent, from $45 to $78 in today's money. About 40 per cent of Australians see a specialist each year. Most of these appointments – about two in three – are private, where patients receive a Medicare rebate and almost always pay a fee. Those who choose to go public pay with their time. Across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, there are 50 specialities with waiting times of more than a year. For some, the wait was longer than three years. High fees reflect an 'uncompetitive' market While some countries, including Canada and France, set some limitations on specialist fees, there is no such regulation in Australia. Specialists here are allowed to set their prices. When patients are quoted a hefty fee for a particular service, they can find it difficult to shop around because there is no easy way to compare prices. The Grattan report said the government's revamped Medical Costs Finder website was a 'positive step', but this is unlikely to be in place for some time – the legislation is expected to be introduced to parliament later this year. The report also identified issues with training pipelines for doctors wanting to enter in-demand fields. The authors said medical colleges – responsible for training specialists – were 'not set up to solve workforce shortages'. They suggested more than $300 million in government spending could go towards boosting training opportunities and directing qualified doctors towards areas of greatest need. Loading Dr Astha Tomar, president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, said the efforts of medical colleges to enforce safety and quality standards were not a barrier to entry, and welcomed further government funding to get more doctors into psychiatry – which is among the highest charging specialties. The report also proposed denying Medicare claims from specialists who charge more than triple the government-funded rebate – something that has long been proposed but would be difficult to implement. The cost of a first appointment has increased The next chart shows how much the median cost of each specialty has risen in the past five years. The median cost of a first appointment with a psychiatrist is now $240, almost $100 more expensive than in 2018. More than half of nephrology (kidney) and cardiology appointments were bulk-billed five years ago, but each now incurs an average out-of-pocket cost of $37 and $67, respectively. One proposal to fix this is to reduce the need for one-off referrals by enabling GPs to seek written advice from a specialist within three days. The report estimated this could avert 68,000 referrals and save patients $4 million a year. Even low-income families face high out-of-pocket costs On average, Australians spend about $300 a year on specialists. Even in low-income households, the report found 72 per cent of people who saw a private specialist paid a bill at least once. It means one in five Australians needing specialist care delay or avoid care. Every year, 1.9 million people miss out on treatment, and half do so because of cost. For many, the public system is their only option. But that is not viable for those who don't have years to wait for an appointment or live outside major capital cities. Health services are concentrated in our cities It makes sense that most specialists live and work in major cities – they are home to the majority of Australia's population, our research institutions and our busiest and most well-resourced hospitals. But even when accounting for population and need, Sydneysiders and Melburnians are still far better off than their counterparts in the regions. The researchers created a model estimating how many appointments were available per person per year, adjusting for the demographic needs of each community (such as age, Indigenous status and prevalence of chronic health conditions). They estimated the government would need to spend $470 million to boost access to specialist appointments in 81 communities with the lowest access to care. This would provide 1 million face-to-face and telehealth appointments to those most in need.
The Advertiser
18-05-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
'Waiting too long': bulk-billing push amid high costs to see specialists
People in the Hunter health network are much less likely to attend a specialist than wealthy Sydney areas, prompting a call for "fully bulk-billed specialty clinics" in the region. The cost of seeing a specialist and long wait times to book appointments are causing widespread anger and frustration. Professor Jennifer Martin, of University of Newcastle, said "bulk-billed specialty clinics and outreach services" were needed in the Hunter. She said this was especially the case "for specialities that are under-represented and difficult to access". Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data showed specialist attendances in the Hunter network were 89.3 per 100 people in 2023-24. This means that, on average, 89.3 Medicare-subsidised specialist visits were made for every 100 people in the network, which includes New England and Central Coast. This was below areas including Northern Sydney (123), Central and Eastern Sydney (118.7), Nepean Blue Mountains (108.5) and South Western Sydney (103.4). Professor Martin, president of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), said "people in rural and regional Australia, including in the Hunter, are waiting far too long to see medical specialists". "Many are forced to travel long distances for specialist consultations, while others are simply missing out altogether," Professor Martin said. "There aren't enough generalists who are well supported to go to regional sites and stay." In recent industrial action, doctors highlighted long waitlists for specialists in endoscopy, ENT (ear, nose and throat) and gynaecology in the Hunter. Long waits for orthopaedic and gastroenterology services have also been reported. Meanwhile, GPs have raised concerns that their fees are publicly available in Medicare reports, but specialists' fees are not. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said recently that a re-elected Albanese government would "help Australians find the best value" among specialists. Mr Butler promised to "fix the former government's failed price disclosure tool, the Medical Costs Finder". The $7 million project would "analyse annual Medicare, hospital and insurer data for every common medical service". It would display the average fee that each specialist doctor charged, alongside the national average for that service. "Fees can vary widely across specialists, even for the same procedure in the same part of Australia," he said. Professor Martin said access to healthcare and being able to afford it were key issues. "Unfortunately, Medicare rebates over many years have not kept pace with inflation, impacting both patients and doctors," she said. "Additionally, governments control the supply of specialists through training places and scarcity impacts costs." She said the federal government "needs to expand bulk-billing incentive payments to specialists as well as GPs for key priority populations". This included those in rural and remote areas who "experience higher rates of complex and chronic diseases than people in the cities". "Publicly-funded access to specialists will have a positive flow-on effect from investing in preventive health." She said this would ease hospital pressures and "expand access to the communities who need it most". Professor Martin urged the federal and state governments to "invest more in growing and supporting the medical workforce". The Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding found there were "insufficient financial incentives" for city-based specialists to "relocate to rural or regional areas". In the inquiry report, released last week, Dr Nicholas Spooner said the staff specialists' award was "out of date in regard to remuneration and other conditions". Dr Spooner, director of emergency medicine at Wyong Hospital, said this included "paying staff specialists less than other jurisdictions" and not paying them for "on-call work or overtime". People in the Hunter health network are much less likely to attend a specialist than wealthy Sydney areas, prompting a call for "fully bulk-billed specialty clinics" in the region. The cost of seeing a specialist and long wait times to book appointments are causing widespread anger and frustration. Professor Jennifer Martin, of University of Newcastle, said "bulk-billed specialty clinics and outreach services" were needed in the Hunter. She said this was especially the case "for specialities that are under-represented and difficult to access". Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data showed specialist attendances in the Hunter network were 89.3 per 100 people in 2023-24. This means that, on average, 89.3 Medicare-subsidised specialist visits were made for every 100 people in the network, which includes New England and Central Coast. This was below areas including Northern Sydney (123), Central and Eastern Sydney (118.7), Nepean Blue Mountains (108.5) and South Western Sydney (103.4). Professor Martin, president of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), said "people in rural and regional Australia, including in the Hunter, are waiting far too long to see medical specialists". "Many are forced to travel long distances for specialist consultations, while others are simply missing out altogether," Professor Martin said. "There aren't enough generalists who are well supported to go to regional sites and stay." In recent industrial action, doctors highlighted long waitlists for specialists in endoscopy, ENT (ear, nose and throat) and gynaecology in the Hunter. Long waits for orthopaedic and gastroenterology services have also been reported. Meanwhile, GPs have raised concerns that their fees are publicly available in Medicare reports, but specialists' fees are not. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said recently that a re-elected Albanese government would "help Australians find the best value" among specialists. Mr Butler promised to "fix the former government's failed price disclosure tool, the Medical Costs Finder". The $7 million project would "analyse annual Medicare, hospital and insurer data for every common medical service". It would display the average fee that each specialist doctor charged, alongside the national average for that service. "Fees can vary widely across specialists, even for the same procedure in the same part of Australia," he said. Professor Martin said access to healthcare and being able to afford it were key issues. "Unfortunately, Medicare rebates over many years have not kept pace with inflation, impacting both patients and doctors," she said. "Additionally, governments control the supply of specialists through training places and scarcity impacts costs." She said the federal government "needs to expand bulk-billing incentive payments to specialists as well as GPs for key priority populations". This included those in rural and remote areas who "experience higher rates of complex and chronic diseases than people in the cities". "Publicly-funded access to specialists will have a positive flow-on effect from investing in preventive health." She said this would ease hospital pressures and "expand access to the communities who need it most". Professor Martin urged the federal and state governments to "invest more in growing and supporting the medical workforce". The Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding found there were "insufficient financial incentives" for city-based specialists to "relocate to rural or regional areas". In the inquiry report, released last week, Dr Nicholas Spooner said the staff specialists' award was "out of date in regard to remuneration and other conditions". Dr Spooner, director of emergency medicine at Wyong Hospital, said this included "paying staff specialists less than other jurisdictions" and not paying them for "on-call work or overtime". People in the Hunter health network are much less likely to attend a specialist than wealthy Sydney areas, prompting a call for "fully bulk-billed specialty clinics" in the region. The cost of seeing a specialist and long wait times to book appointments are causing widespread anger and frustration. Professor Jennifer Martin, of University of Newcastle, said "bulk-billed specialty clinics and outreach services" were needed in the Hunter. She said this was especially the case "for specialities that are under-represented and difficult to access". Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data showed specialist attendances in the Hunter network were 89.3 per 100 people in 2023-24. This means that, on average, 89.3 Medicare-subsidised specialist visits were made for every 100 people in the network, which includes New England and Central Coast. This was below areas including Northern Sydney (123), Central and Eastern Sydney (118.7), Nepean Blue Mountains (108.5) and South Western Sydney (103.4). Professor Martin, president of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), said "people in rural and regional Australia, including in the Hunter, are waiting far too long to see medical specialists". "Many are forced to travel long distances for specialist consultations, while others are simply missing out altogether," Professor Martin said. "There aren't enough generalists who are well supported to go to regional sites and stay." In recent industrial action, doctors highlighted long waitlists for specialists in endoscopy, ENT (ear, nose and throat) and gynaecology in the Hunter. Long waits for orthopaedic and gastroenterology services have also been reported. Meanwhile, GPs have raised concerns that their fees are publicly available in Medicare reports, but specialists' fees are not. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said recently that a re-elected Albanese government would "help Australians find the best value" among specialists. Mr Butler promised to "fix the former government's failed price disclosure tool, the Medical Costs Finder". The $7 million project would "analyse annual Medicare, hospital and insurer data for every common medical service". It would display the average fee that each specialist doctor charged, alongside the national average for that service. "Fees can vary widely across specialists, even for the same procedure in the same part of Australia," he said. Professor Martin said access to healthcare and being able to afford it were key issues. "Unfortunately, Medicare rebates over many years have not kept pace with inflation, impacting both patients and doctors," she said. "Additionally, governments control the supply of specialists through training places and scarcity impacts costs." She said the federal government "needs to expand bulk-billing incentive payments to specialists as well as GPs for key priority populations". This included those in rural and remote areas who "experience higher rates of complex and chronic diseases than people in the cities". "Publicly-funded access to specialists will have a positive flow-on effect from investing in preventive health." She said this would ease hospital pressures and "expand access to the communities who need it most". Professor Martin urged the federal and state governments to "invest more in growing and supporting the medical workforce". The Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding found there were "insufficient financial incentives" for city-based specialists to "relocate to rural or regional areas". In the inquiry report, released last week, Dr Nicholas Spooner said the staff specialists' award was "out of date in regard to remuneration and other conditions". Dr Spooner, director of emergency medicine at Wyong Hospital, said this included "paying staff specialists less than other jurisdictions" and not paying them for "on-call work or overtime". People in the Hunter health network are much less likely to attend a specialist than wealthy Sydney areas, prompting a call for "fully bulk-billed specialty clinics" in the region. The cost of seeing a specialist and long wait times to book appointments are causing widespread anger and frustration. Professor Jennifer Martin, of University of Newcastle, said "bulk-billed specialty clinics and outreach services" were needed in the Hunter. She said this was especially the case "for specialities that are under-represented and difficult to access". Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data showed specialist attendances in the Hunter network were 89.3 per 100 people in 2023-24. This means that, on average, 89.3 Medicare-subsidised specialist visits were made for every 100 people in the network, which includes New England and Central Coast. This was below areas including Northern Sydney (123), Central and Eastern Sydney (118.7), Nepean Blue Mountains (108.5) and South Western Sydney (103.4). Professor Martin, president of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), said "people in rural and regional Australia, including in the Hunter, are waiting far too long to see medical specialists". "Many are forced to travel long distances for specialist consultations, while others are simply missing out altogether," Professor Martin said. "There aren't enough generalists who are well supported to go to regional sites and stay." In recent industrial action, doctors highlighted long waitlists for specialists in endoscopy, ENT (ear, nose and throat) and gynaecology in the Hunter. Long waits for orthopaedic and gastroenterology services have also been reported. Meanwhile, GPs have raised concerns that their fees are publicly available in Medicare reports, but specialists' fees are not. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said recently that a re-elected Albanese government would "help Australians find the best value" among specialists. Mr Butler promised to "fix the former government's failed price disclosure tool, the Medical Costs Finder". The $7 million project would "analyse annual Medicare, hospital and insurer data for every common medical service". It would display the average fee that each specialist doctor charged, alongside the national average for that service. "Fees can vary widely across specialists, even for the same procedure in the same part of Australia," he said. Professor Martin said access to healthcare and being able to afford it were key issues. "Unfortunately, Medicare rebates over many years have not kept pace with inflation, impacting both patients and doctors," she said. "Additionally, governments control the supply of specialists through training places and scarcity impacts costs." She said the federal government "needs to expand bulk-billing incentive payments to specialists as well as GPs for key priority populations". This included those in rural and remote areas who "experience higher rates of complex and chronic diseases than people in the cities". "Publicly-funded access to specialists will have a positive flow-on effect from investing in preventive health." She said this would ease hospital pressures and "expand access to the communities who need it most". Professor Martin urged the federal and state governments to "invest more in growing and supporting the medical workforce". The Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding found there were "insufficient financial incentives" for city-based specialists to "relocate to rural or regional areas". In the inquiry report, released last week, Dr Nicholas Spooner said the staff specialists' award was "out of date in regard to remuneration and other conditions". Dr Spooner, director of emergency medicine at Wyong Hospital, said this included "paying staff specialists less than other jurisdictions" and not paying them for "on-call work or overtime".
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Major win for Aussies slugged with $950 medical bills: ‘Don't get hit by unexpected fees'
Australians will soon find it easier to locate cheaper doctor appointments and avoid getting hit with unexpected medical bills. The federal government has promised to spend $7 million to upgrade its Medical Costs Finder website if re-elected, a costs comparison website for medical specialists. Aussies across the country can pay hundreds of dollars more than their neighbours for the same procedure, with fees varying hugely from specialist to specialist. In Perth, for example, the average out-of-pocket cost for cataract surgery is $190 but some have paid less than $20 and others paid more than $500 for the same operation. Aussies in central Sydney who have undergone colonoscopies can pay as little as $20, or more than $680, even though the average cost is about $280. RELATED Health insurance premium price hike for 15 million Aussies revealed: 'Caught in crossfire' Centrelink cash boost to hit accounts this week: 'Critical' $800,000 Centrelink 'hack' for Bank of Mum and Dad to avoid pension cut The Medical Costs Finder Website allows patients to see the average fee charged by every eligible non-GP specialist and compare it with the national average for that service. The $24 million website was launched by the former Coalition government in 2019 but since then less than 100 of 11,000 medical specialists have voluntarily uploaded their fees to the site. Health Minister Mark Butler will announce the review of the website today and said the service had been 'left gathering dust' and wasn't currently helping patients work out out-of-pocket costs. 'The Albanese Labor government will help Australians find the best value when they need specialist medical advice and treatment, by upgrading the Medical Costs Finder to give more transparency on fees,' Butler said. The improved website would include data from private health insurers showing their financial arrangements with specialists and how often patients have to pay out-of-pocket costs. The website will also analyse annual data from Medicare, hospitals and insurers to improve the website's information. It comes after the government announced it would deliver a $8.5 billion funding boost to Medicare if re-elected, which it said would lead to nine out of 10 GP visits being bulk billed by move has been welcomed by medical and private health insurance bodies. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) said it would work with the government on upgrades to the website to ensure all information is available and existing challenges are addressed. AMA president Dr Danielle McMullen said the group had 'long advocated for greater transparency for patients when it comes to medical costs'. McMullen noted a major challenge to uptake was the lack of information provided by private health insurers, particularly about rebates provided for specific procedures. Private Healthcare Australia said health funds would work with the government to help consumers get reliable quotes before they proceeded with medical treatment in the private health system. 'This is a massive win for consumers who have been crying out for more information and competition between specialist doctors, so they don't get hit by unexpected fees,' CEO Dr Rachel David said. 'While most doctors charge appropriately, we know an increasing number of Australians have been charged exorbitant fees by specialist doctors, including more than $950 for first appointments with psychiatrists.' The group said paying more did not guarantee better treatment or a better health outcome. It has called on the Opposition to match the in to access your portfolio
