“Secret” documents reveal doctors are charging 10 times more than they should
If you’ve recently undergone surgery only to be slugged with an outrageous bill, you’re not alone. A “secret” Australian Medical Association “List of Services and Fees” file explains why Aussies are being left $1.6 billion out of pocket each year.
In some cases, doctors were charging up to 10 times the fee recommended by Medicare for everything from births to hip replacements and cancer treatments.
AMA President Dr Michael Gannon defended the document, saying Medicare rates have not changed since 2014 but that AMA rates had been consistent with inflation and wage growth.
“The vast majority of doctors deliver services well below the AMA fees, but certainly the AMA list is closer to a list of truth than the Medicare schedule, which lost pace with the true cost of health care 10, 15, 20 years ago,” he told 9 News.
However, Dr Gannon did admit that some doctors are charging even more than the AMA recommended rate. “If a doctor charges more than the AMA fee they need to explain to their patients why that is the case.”
Dwayne Crombie, Head of Health Insurance for Bupa Australia, told the Daily Mail the excessive charges undermined the value of health insurance.
“If customers have to pay out of pocket gaps because a fee is high, then people question what benefit insurance provides them, without realising where the cost is coming from and why they are having to pay it.”