Specialist doctors' fees in Australia are out of control. Since 2023, specialist fees have grown three times faster than inflation.

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It's hurting patients and exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis. The federal government should step in to protect patients - including by withdrawing Medicare funding from the specialists who charge extreme fees.

The consequences of skyrocketing fees are serious. More than 800,000 Australians skip or delay specialist care due to cost each year - and that can mean missed diagnoses and worse outcomes.

As most of us know, seeing a specialist usually costs more than what Medicare will cover. Often, far more, leaving patients to pick up the bill.

The average patient fee for a specialist visit is $87. But for some specialties, fees are much higher. An initial visit to a dermatologist typically costs more than $200. For a psychiatrist, it typically costs a whopping $350.

This is not a new problem. Specialist fees have been rising for a long time.

Since 2010, they've increased every quarter, save for a brief reprieve during the height of COVID. Cumulatively, they increased by 183 per cent between 2010 and 2025 - three times faster than inflation, wages, or fees for other Medicare services.

New Grattan Institute analysis shows the trend has continued. In just the past year, specialist fees jumped another 4 per cent, on top of inflation.

Fees for some specialties are rising even faster. Fees for an initial psychiatrist appointment went up $60 above inflation in the past year.

Fee growth has been relentless, but it's not inevitable. And bringing it under control is one of the easier ways to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

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© Canberra Times