Medicare fraud and non-compliance costing taxpayers up to $3bn, review finds

Government-commissioned report argues structural reform is essential and requires a simpler, clearer billing system

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Medicare fraud and non-compliance by doctors is costing taxpayers between $1.5bn and $3bn a year, a conservative estimate that will only increase without system reforms, according to a government-commissioned independent review.

The review into Medicare compliance, led by health economist Dr Pradeep Philip, was commissioned following ongoing concerns about waste and wrongful billing practices.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup