Peter Sumich
The Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (ASO) has welcomed the Government’s move to publish specialist fees on the Medical Costs Finder, provided the information is accurate, transparent, and accessible to patients.
The Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026 will make specialist fees publicly available on the Medical Costs Finder, helping people compare costs and make informed healthcare decisions.
the data must be presented accurately, with proper context, so patients understand why specialists charge what they do
The Bill will also outlaw insurer “product phoenixing” and require Ministerial approval for new product premiums and changes that reduce existing cover.
In a media release the ASO said it had long supported informed financial consent and is a co-signatory to the Australian Medical Association’s (AMA) National Informed Financial Consent Guide.
“Anything that helps patients understand what they’re paying for and why is something we support,” said ASO President Dr Peter Sumich.
“If this tool genuinely helps patients anticipate their out-of-pocket costs, then we’re all for it. But the data must be presented accurately, with proper context, so patients understand why specialists charge what they do.”
Transparency Call for Insurers
The ASO also welcomed the Bill’s provisions to outlaw the practice of product phoenixing by private health insurers – where insurers close an existing policy and reopen a near-identical product at a significantly higher price, circumventing the regulated Premium Round process.
According to ASO, this practice drives up premiums, erodes consumer trust, and undermines the value of private health cover for Australian patients.
“We have been calling for phoenixing to be stamped out for a long time, and we’re pleased the Government has listened. This is exactly the kind of insurer accountability that patients need,” Dr Sumich said.
“If we’re talking about transparency, it can’t be one-sided. Patients deserve to know exactly what their private health insurer is doing with their premium dollars. How much is being returned to hospitals and practitioners who actually deliver care? Insurers need to be held to the same standard of transparency being asked of doctors.”
