The $24m white elephant: Just 20 doctors share fees on govt’s cost-finder website
There have not been many fees to compare for the 640,000 people who have visited the website since it launched in 2019.
Almost five years and $24 million of taxpayers’ cash later, only 20 doctors are sharing their fees on the Federal Government’s much touted Medical Costs Finder website.
The revelation came during a budget estimates hearing, as Senator David Pocock questioned why surgeries were more expensive in the ACT than other states.
In response, Penny Shakespeare, a deputy secretary in the Department of Health and Aged Care, suggested patients could use the website to compare out-of-pocket costs.
But when Senator Pocock asked how many doctors were registered, he was told just 20 doctors had listed their fees on the website, which had been visited by 640,000 people and was estimated to cost $24.2m this financial year.
