A small number of specialist doctors charge unethical and extreme fees, defined as a cost over three times the Medicare rebate for that service. They represent about 4 per cent of the profession, yet their behaviour is dominating the conversation about Medicare fees. Many patients will pay an out-of-pocket cost and some have crowdfunded for procedures, which is unacceptable in a wealthy nation.

Medicare is one of Australia’s greatest creations, created to provide universal coverage and eliminate a tiered healthcare system. Since 1975, Australians have expected healthcare that is high-quality, rapidly accessible and easily affordable. No single country has ever been able to provide all at once but the current debates around GP and specialist fees are leading us to believe that we can. Unaffordable care is a serious concern to us all with many people delaying medical care due to concerns around cost and demands urgent attention.

Australia’s health system needs to be looked at in depth, not in a piecemeal manner.Credit: Michael O’Sullivan

However, a push to regulate specialist fees is treating the symptoms, not the disease.

Transparency and ethical billing must be a part of the solution. But targeting the entire........

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