The Department of Health and Aged Care has launched a national information campaign to encourage Australians to use the Medical Costs Finder when planning for the private specialist care.

The Medical Costs Finder website is an initiative of the Australian Government to help patients find and understand the typical costs for common private health procedures and avoid surprises when getting billed.  Since its launch in December 2019, over 531,000 users have visited the website, with new users continuing to grow each month with over 76,000 new users in February alone.

The campaign primarily targets Australians aged 18 years and older who are considering or seeking private health treatment.

A new video to explain how the website helps patients:

• find the typical costs for common private health treatments in different locations across Australia

• understand and plan for the costs of private treatment early in the journey
• access tips to confidently discuss medical costs with a specialist.

Resources available

A range of resources for health professionals and patients are available about the Medical Cost Finder.

GP resources:

·                     Fact sheet – A guide for GPs – Referrals to Medical Specialists (GP)

·                     Printable poster – Planning a private health procedure?

·                     Stakeholder kit

Patient resources:

·                     So, you need to see a specialist?

·                     A guide to out-of-pocket medical costs – helping you plan for the cost of medical treatment – Also translated into Arabic, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.

·                     A guide for patients – choosing a specialist