4 August 2018 - Doctors are warning that the federal government's private health insurance reforms may push patients onto public hospital waiting lists or even change the care they offer to people at different levels of cover.

The proposed changes, beginning in April 2019, will see spinal, cataract, bariatric and some orthopaedic surgery as well as sleep studies insured at the highest priced levels, despite being covered in some lower cost policies now.

A new system, released for consultation by Health Minister Greg Hunt in July, classified insurance into four tiers - Basic, Bronze, Silver, and Gold - with much sharper clinical definitions of what is included at each level. Consultation on the changes closed on Friday.

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