Australian advisory committee dedicated to investigating out-of-pocket medical expenses

A government report found out-of-pocket expenses to medical and dental patients accounted for 20% of all healthcare spending in Australia, disadvantaging low income earners, chronic disease sufferers, the elderly and people in rural areas. The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association declared spending was higher than in similar countries, including Canada at 14%, New Zealand at 13% and the U.K. at 10%. This is why Australias’s federal government is pledging to work with the medical sector to drive down fees charged by some practitioners. An expert panel will be asked to identify why some doctors charge large fees, and to explore ways to ensure that consumers and referring general practitioners can compare fees and out-of-pocket costs when they choose their doctor.