Federal health bureaucrats have confirmed doctors will be out of pocket due to rebate changes for imaging services, but say those costs won't necessarily be passed onto patients.
Doctors are concerned about the decision to scrap a bulk billing incentive for diagnostic imaging, saying patients will put off having important medical scans.
The Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association says the measures, introduced with the government's $7 co-payment, will mean patients have to pay significantly more for x-rays, ultrasounds, and radiology services.
ADIA claims patients could be hit with upfront costs of $90 for an X-ray, $380 for a CAT scan, $160 for a mammogram and up to $1000 for a PET scan.
Even after the Medicare rebate, they could be up to $160 worse off, the association said.
Health bureaucrat Richard Bartlett on Wednesday confirmed practices would receive a smaller rebate because of the changes to bulk billing.
However, he disputed the costs would be borne by patients.
"It's a highly competitive environment," Dr Bartlett told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra.
"It is very difficult to make a definite statement that they will pass it on or they won't pass it on."
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied federal patients will be slugged with thousands of dollars in up-front costs for medical scans.
He said the government was replacing the bulk billing incentive with a low gap incentive - and nothing will change.
Diagnostic providers that charge the co-payment will receive 95 per cent of the rebate and the low gap incentive.
"Which is exactly the same," Mr Abbott told parliament.
But Labor said by scrapping the bulk-billing incentive, the government has cut the rebate for diagnostic imaging by between 10 and 15 per cent.
"The net effect of all these measures will force general patients who were previously bulk-billed to fork out thousands of dollars upfront to pay for MRI, X-rays, CAT scans and mammograms," Labor's health spokeswoman Catherine King said.
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