Australian specialists charge extreme medical fees, Grattan Institute study finds

More than 2.2 million Australians paid extreme fees to see a medical specialist last year, according to research from the policy thinktank the Grattan Institute reported by the Guardian. Psychiatrists and paediatricians were among the specialists most likely to routinely charge patients unreasonable rates. [1]

The Grattan Institute found that some doctors charge up to triple the fees of their peers, the Guardian reported. The research concluded that specialists cannot justify exorbitant fees by blaming inadequate government rebates or operational expenses, as running costs explain only a fraction of the price differences. [1]

Psychiatrists are medical physicians who specialize in psychiatry and hold broad training in the biopsychosocial assessment and management of mental illness. They evaluate patients to determine whether symptoms stem from physical illness, mental ailments, or a combination of both. [2]