Important policy announcement
With a heavy heart, we must announce that our practice will no longer be able to always bulk bill our patients for all our services. The cost of running the practice nearly tripled in the last 10 years. However, the Medicare rebates grew by just a couple of per cent. The Australian Government froze the Medicare rebates for 7 years. We are very sorry, but we can no longer provide services without charging you some gap.
We had to implement private fees for some services we provide. While doing that, our thoughts were about you – our patients. We thought about a safety net to ensure that you still can access good quality care.
The fees for face-to-face and Telehealth consultations:
- We promise that we will try to keep the gap as small as possible.
- A gap for a Standard consultation under 20 min is $40.
- A gap for a Long consultation of 20 min is $40.
- A gap for an Extra long consultation over 40 min is $100.
- The fees for the procedures remain unchanged. The changes concern only the consultation fees.
- All of the Telehealth consultations will be pre-paid unless agreed to be bulk billed prior or fall into the eligible bulk bill service category.
- All fees are rounded up to the nearest dollar.
The safety net:
- We will bulk bill all people 75 years old and older.
- We will bulk bill persons 18 years old and younger. We recognise that most of the young people of that age are still dependent on their families.
- We will bulk bill all services for chronic disease management: GP Management Plan (item 721), Team Care Arrangement – access to physio, podiatrist, dietitian under Medicare (item 723), Review of the Plan (item 732), Mental Health Plan (items 2715/2717), Review of Mental Health Plan (item 2712), all Health Assessment billed under items 703,705,707, Nurse follow up (item 10997).
- Healthcare card holders will pay a reduced $20 gap regardless of the type of consultation.
- We will bulk bill for All quick results notifications.
- Veteran Affairs card holders.
- Appointments dedicated solely to seasonal flu or COVID-19 vaccination are bulk billed.
Example of the private fee transaction: Anne came to see a doctor. The doctor billed Anne for the Standard consultation, item 23. The rebate for this consultation is $39.75. Anne will pay $80. Medicare will pay Anne directly back to her account $39.75 immediately on the same day.
Example of the bulk billing transaction: Jacob is seeing his Doctor today. It appears that Jacob has an ongoing health condition that requires planned care. His Doctor developed a GP Plan for Jacob. This service was bulk billed today. Jacob did not have to pay.
Example of the bulk billing transaction: Emily is seeing her Doctor today. She is diagnosed with Depression. Her Doctor refers her to a Medicare-funded psychologist for 10 sessions. For that, her Doctor develops a GP Mental health Plan. This service was bulk billed today. Emily did not have to pay.
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Example of the bulk billing transaction: Emily returns to her Doctor in three months to review her progress with the psychologist. Her Doctor reviews her GP’s Mental Health Plan. This service was bulk billed today. Emily did not have to pay.
Example of the private fee transaction: Simon comes to see a doctor today, complaining of abdominal pain. After a thorough examination, his doctor referred Simon for an ultrasound. The Doctor billed Simon for the Standard consultation, item 23. The rebate for this consultation is $39.75. Simon will pay $80. Medicare will immediately pay Simon back to his account $39.75 on the same day.
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Example of the bulk billing recall consultation: two days later Doctor calls Simon with the ultrasound results. This recall service was bulk billed today. Simon did not have to pay.
Example of the private follow-up consultation: The consequent follow-up consultation required a new course of treatment and a specialist referral. This follow-up consultation will be charged privately.
