Health Department Can Publish Doctors and Medical Specialists Fees
Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026
House of Representatives
Senate
Assent
Topics
data disclosure healthcare transparency medicare benefits personal information privacy private health insurance
Introduced by: The Hon Mark Butler MP (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Melissa McIntosh LIB
“I rise to speak on the Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026. At the outset, I want to make the coalition’s position clear. The coalition will not stand in the way of this bill passing the House.”
Emma McBride ALP
“I rise today to speak in support of the Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026. This bill is fundamentally about fairness. It is about making sure Australians can make informed decisions about their health care—decisions grounded in transparency, clarity and genuine choice.”
Anne Webster NAT
“This bill, the Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026, addresses two key concerns: phoenixing products in private health care and transparency on medical fees by medical practitioners. I am the shadow minister for regional health and, as I said in my maiden speech in 2019, your postcode should not determine your health status.”
Ms ROBERTS
“The incorporated speech read as follows— I would like to speak in strong support of the Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026. This bill goes to the heart of what I hear in my electorate of Pearce. People are worried about the cost of seeing a specialist. They are confused about what their private health insurance actually covers.”
“This legislation is about health, and, certainly, I want to acknowledge the member for Pearce and her contributions to the parliament. What she does and how she does it—she’s somebody who shows a lot of pluck, and I do absolutely applaud you, Member for Pearce. You are an inspiration; you truly are.”
“In 2026, you can compare the prices of flights to London in seconds. You can research the price of second-hand cars within a 50-kilometre radius. You can check what your neighbour sold their house for last week. It is seamless, it is easy and it’s at your fingertips.”