RACS supports initiatives that help patients better understand potential out-of-pocket costs and acknowledges improvements in the Medical Costs Finder (MCF), including the use of fee ranges, expanded cost components beyond surgeon fees, and improved contextual information.
However, RACS cautions that the proposed model risks oversimplifying complex healthcare delivery by focusing too narrowly on specialist fees and average comparisons. The College warns this may lead to misleading interpretations of cost data, particularly where factors such as patient complexity, multidisciplinary care, workforce pressures, and hospital–insurer arrangements are not fully captured.