When you’re sick, the last thing on your mind is reading the fine print of your medical bills. You assume if it’s been done, it must have been necessary — and if it’s been billed, you must have to pay. I used to think the same. I once paid a $1,000 bill I never agreed to because I didn’t even realise I could question it. Later, venting to my husband (a health teacher), he said,

Of course, I hadn’t. I was too busy trying to stop my body from falling apart. But they are indeed posted on many doctors and hospital walls in Australia. That day, I learned a new phrase that has saved me hundreds since: “Lack of financial informed consent.”

What Is Financial Informed Consent?

It’s your right to know what something will cost before you agree to it — including any potential out-of-pocket expenses. In Australia, this means health providers (public and private) must clearly explain fees and get your consent before charging you. That includes:

• Tests, scans, and procedures

• Specialist consults

• Hospital admission fees and “gap” payments

• Allied health services (e.g. physio, dietitian)

  
  

If you were not informed of the cost or did not agree, you may have grounds to dispute the bill.

How to Challenge a Bill (and Win)

1. Check your rights.

   Look up your state’s or country’s rules on informed financial consent.

   • In Australia: see the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights and ACCC’s Private Health Insurance guide.

     
     

2. Ask for documentation.

   Request proof of when and how the costs were disclosed. Often, you’ll find… they weren’t.

   
   

3. Write a clear, factual email.

   Mention “lack of financial informed consent” and reference relevant guidelines or the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) standards.

   
   

   Example line: “Under the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, patients are entitled to clear communication about costs and consent before treatment. I was not informed of this charge and therefore do not consent to payment.”

   
   

4. Escalate if needed.

   • For private health: contact the Private Health Ombudsman.

   • For public hospitals: raise a complaint with your state’s Health Complaints Commissioner.

     
     

A Few Real-World Wins

Since learning this, I’ve had multiple bills waived. Each time, the same pattern: they had multiple opportunities to inform me and didn't, I pushed back (politely but firmly), and they backed down. My cousin got some bloods done recently and was told, “if there is a cost, we will call you before we process these”, they never did and mailed her a $400 bill. We wrote up an email using the tips above, and boom, she got out of the bill.

The moral? You are not being “difficult” by asking questions — you’re being informed.

Bottom Line

When your body is breaking down, the system should not be breaking your bank too. If something doesn’t sound right, pause before you pay. Ask for an itemised bill. Request proof of consent. And remember: you have rights — even in a gown, even in a hospital bed.