Exposing the excessive costs charged by some medical professionals will help prevent people being dealt hefty fees by surprise, the federal government says.
The message comes after new figures showed people across the nation forked out $3 billion in the past year to cover "gap" payments for medical services.
More than one million people also put off seeing a GP or medical specialist because the bills were too steep, an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report reveals.
Health Minister Greg Hunt has stressed that in the same year, more Australians visited the doctor at no charge than ever before, with the bulk-billing rate for GPs hitting a record 86.1 per cent.
But he says the government is aware some medical professionals are charging "way too much" and the costs of some diagnostic and obstetric services are of particular concern.
Mr Hunt says the chief medical officer, working with peak bodies, is closing in on establishing a "transparency model" that would force professionals to publish their fees so such outliers could be called out.
A draft of the model to be released in the coming months, with the scheme due to be in action by next year.
"That's a very important moment so that the outliers know that they can't hide in darkness," he told reporters on Thursday.
Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King said it was "extremely concerning" 1.3 million Australians did not see a medical profession in the past year due to prices.
Immediately lifting the remaining freezes on some Medicare rebates was one step the government should take to tackle the nation's "health affordability crisis", she said.
"The minister needs a wake-up call when it comes to out of pocket costs," Ms King said.
Greens Leader Richard Di Natale said more Medicare funding was needed to prevent Australia turning into a "two-tier" health system similar to that in the United States.
Transparency around medical costs was only part of the solution, he said.
"There is a major structural problem right now where someone can be referred to a surgeon, have a procedure done privately and have absolutely no idea about what out-of-pocket costs they're going to face," Mr Di Natale said.
