The Albanese Government has today introduced legislation to help Australians find the best value when they need specialist medical advice and treatment, by fixing the Morrison government's failed price disclosure tool, Medical Costs Finder.
The Morrison government spent $24 million setting up the Medical Costs Finder website, which it claimed would use Medicare data to display the cost of common medical services, alongside the fees that individual specialists voluntarily shared to the website.
By the end of 2022, of around 6,300 eligible specialists registered to practise in the 11 specialties included on the Medical Costs Finder, just 6 doctors had chosen to voluntarily display their fee information. Not 6 per cent - 6 individual doctors.
Even three years later, only around 88 doctors have voluntarily displayed their fee information. Not 88 per cent - 88 individual doctors.
The Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026 will allow the government to publish details about what individual specialists charge for particular medical services.
To improve transparency and take the guess work out of healthcare, the government's Bill will now allow for Medicare, hospital and insurer billing data already collected by the government, to be published on the Medical Costs Finder.
People will be able to compare those costs against the fees charged by other medical practitioners, ultimately helping people make informed decisions about their health care.
In addition, this legislation will outlaw the practice known as "product phoenixing", where private health insurers close a product and re-open an identical one at a higher price, or reduce the value of a product.
The Bill requires insurers to seek Ministerial approval for premiums for new products and if making certain changes that reduce the cover or value of existing products.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"This legislation is delivering on our election commitment to Australians.
"Specialists and private health funds have been given the opportunity to be upfront about patient costs and out of pocket expenses but frankly, have failed to do so.
"We know an increasing number of Australians are not taking up referrals from their GP to see a specialist due to concern about cost, but this legislation will give hard working Australians the clarity they deserve about costs and more choice in their health care.
"I also warned insurers that product phoenixing had to stop and yet insurers continued to do so.
"This Bill legislates wider scrutiny of premiums so consumers can be more confident in the value of private health insurance."
