New research from the Grattan Institute says more than 2.2 million Australians were charged an “extreme” fee by a specialist last year.
The thinktank says psychiatrists and paediatricians are among the specialists most likely to routinely charge patients unreasonable fees. Its report also found that some doctors charge up to three times what their peers do.
According to the report, specialists cannot justify such charges by pointing to inadequate government rebates or the running costs of their practices. It found those factors account for only a small part of the fee increases Australians have faced.
