A Senate committee has called for more transparency in private health insurance, and recommended making individual doctors publish their fees.
The report made 19 recommendations including banning insurers from offering different rebates for the same services.
The committee wants doctors' fees to be available to the public in a searchable database.
Insurers would also have to publish rebates by policy and item number, under the recommended changes.
"Public disclosure of fees would introduce more discipline to the market and would empower consumers to request a referral from their general practitioner to a preferred specialist that they can afford," the report released on Tuesday said.
The committee, chaired by Greens senator Rachel Siewert, looked at out-of-pocket medical costs and the affordability of private health cover.
It wants the government to make private health insurers provide written notice of changes to policies and eligibility to allow consumers the chance to consider alternatives.
Among the other recommendations are:
* Allowing private health insurers to rebate out-of-hospital medical treatment where it is delivered on referral in an out-patient, community or home setting.
* A requirement for all private health insurers to disclose executive remuneration and other administrative costs.
* To make federal and state governments ensure public hospitals provide equality of access for public and private based on clinical need rather than insurance status.
Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association chief executive Alison Verhoeven said that was already happening.
"Suggestions to the contrary are offensive to the staff who work in Australia's public hospitals 365 days a year to provide the best healthcare possible to every patient they see," Ms Verhoeven said.
She welcomed recommendations aimed at improving value, transparency related to out-of-pocket costs, clarity of information for consumers and choice of service providers.
Consumers Health Forum chief Leanne Wells hailed the "ground-breaking" report, saying it recognised the system must meet the needs of the consumer rather than insurers.
