Under the proposed changes, effective April 2019, spine fusion surgery would be covered only for patients who have the highest tier, or Gold, private hospital cover.

Other back, neck and spine surgeries would be covered under both Silver and Gold private health insurance tiers, leaving patients with Bronze and Basic health insurance unable to access it.

The tiered system was released by Health Minister Greg Hunt earlier this month, designed to simplify the 70,000 private health insurance policies available.

Gold Coast orthopaedic surgeon Associate Professor Matthew Scott-Young said surgeons were calling on Mr Hunt to meet them to discuss their concerns.

He said surgeons were concerned the changes would leave patients disadvantaged when needing surgery.

“I think one of the things that patients crave is certainty, and what this does, it creates uncertainty,” he said.

“The one thing you and I don’t know is what’s our health going to be next week.

“Trauma, tumours, a degenerative condition we didn’t know, can all ensue, and of course you’ve covered yourself for what you thought was appropriate at that time.

“But all of a sudden you find yourself in desperate need of something you ... can’t afford.”

A spokesperson for Mr Hunt said the minister had asked the Chief Medical Officer to meet with the concerned surgeons and "would also be happy to meet with them himself".

"The draft standard clinical categories were the subject of extensive consultation with medical colleges, hospitals, insurers and consumer representatives," the spokesperson said.

"The draft categories were then independently reviewed by Professor Nick Talley, pro vice-chancellor at the University of Newcastle, the editor-in-chief at the Medical Journal of Australia and a past president of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (2014-2016).

"The requirements for each product tier are minimum standards. The reforms mandate that insurers will be able to offer additional procedures in basic plus (+), bronze plus (+) and silver plus (+) tiers.

"This includes procedures such as spinal fusion."

The proposed reforms were first announced in October 2017, with Mr Hunt at the time saying the changes were designed to simplify insurance policies and give patients better value for money.

The changes would standardise clinical definitions and provide patients with clear information on what surgeries and treatments were available under the different tiers of private insurance.

Speaking independently of his role as vice-president of the Spine Society of Australia, Professor Scott-Young said back pain was the third leading cause of disease burden in Australia.

The cost of top-level hospital cover through private health insurers that includes spine fusion can be $42.70 per week or more.

Professor Scott-Young said he and other surgeons were concerned the proposed changes would see more patients either choosing to live in pain, or opting for less-effective treatments.

Sydney-based neurosurgeon Dr Bill Sears, immediate past president of the Spine Society of Australia, said people should be covered for all surgeries or none.

“Australians who choose to take out cover for private spinal surgery are entitled to feel confident that they will receive the procedure that is best suited to their problem,” he said.

Professor Scott-Young said surgeons were concerned many of Australia’s yearly 12,000 private spine surgery patients would turn to the public system.

“Our public and private [hospital] mix is probably some of the envy of the world, but it’s already facing difficulties with funding, it’s facing difficulties with numbers,” he said.

“If the majority of the spine procedures in private move across to the public system it will be a catastrophe.”

Dr Marc Coughlan, another Sydney-based neurosurgeon, said young people who needed spinal surgery could be particularly vulnerable.

“It would potentially impact the lives of thousands of patients who would be precluded from having spinal fusions because of the high costs of the prostheses,” he said.

“Many of these people are younger patients with spinal conditions impacting on their ability to walk, work and remain productive in the workforce.”

The proposed reforms are designed to attract young people to private health insurance as increasing numbers of young adults opted not to sign up, choosing instead to rely on Medicare.

Other surgeries also split across the proposed bands include joint replacements, with some reconstructive knee surgeries in the Gold level and other medically necessary reconstructive surgeries in the Silver.

Associate Professor Scott-Young said surgeons were pleased the federal government was attempting to cut through the red tape and complexities of the private health insurance industry, but wanted better consultation before the changes came into effect.

“We applaud the fact that the government has tried to clarify things, but in doing so they’ve made certain aspects more complex,” he said.

“We would like to get a group of concerned surgeons, ones who have got experience, and discuss the pros and cons of these things with the Minister.”

Consultation for the proposed changes remains open until August 3.