From 5 August 2024, fees for our Medical services will change.
Due to increasing operational costs, inflation, and State and Federal budget cuts to community health, our fees will increase slightly so that we can remain a sustainable service and continue providing high quality medical care.
Unfortunately, Medicare rebates for bulk billing can no longer cover the costs of providing you with quality medical care. Out-of-pocket fees serve to cover the gap between the Medicare rebate and the cost of delivering our services.
The updated fees and bulk billing eligibility for each of our medical services are listed below.
General Practice (GP) Clinic
There will be no changes to bulk billing eligibility for GP services. We will continue to provide bulk billed (no fee) GP services to the following groups:
- Health care and pensioner concession card holders and dependents
- DVA card holders
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Refugees and Asylum seekers who have a Medicare card
- Children under 16 years of age.
- Appointments related to the Pharmacotherapy program
If you do not belong to any of these groups, you will be charged an out-of-pocket fee for your GP appointment.
From 5 August 2024, the gap fee will increase to $60. The fees for our regular appointment types are as follows:
| Consultation type | Full fee What you pay on the day |
Medicare Rebate What you get back from Medicare |
Gap Overall cost after the Medicare Rebate |
| Did Not Attend* / Late Cancellation fee (less than 2 hours) |
$20 | N/A | $20 |
| Standard (one issue only) In person or telehealth |
$102.85 | $42.85 | $60 |
| Long (two or more issues) In person or telehealth |
$142.90 | $82.90 | $60 |
| Prolonged (complex issue/s) In person or telehealth |
$182.15 | $122.15 | $60 |
| Flu Vaccine (private) | $20 | N/A | $20 |
| Cardiac Holter Monitor – Service Fee | $50 | N/A | $50 |
| Cardiac Holter Monitor – Service Fee (Concession) | $25 | N/A | $25 |
| Iron Infusion – Service Fee | $150 | N/A | $150 |
*Please note: the Did Not Attend fee apply to everyone, regardless of whether your appointments are bulk billed.
Paediatric Clinic
From 5 August 2024, we will only provide bulk billed (no fee) Paediatric services to the following cohorts:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Refugees and Asylum seekers who have a Medicare card
For everyone else, regardless of concession status, your paediatric appointment will have an out-of-pocket fee.
This change follows some other major shifts in our Paediatric service and we are sorry for the impact this has had on you and your child. Rest assured, your child’s health remains our top priority,
The fees for paediatric appointments are as follows:
| Consultation type | Full fee What you pay on the day |
Medicare Rebate What you get back from Medicare |
Gap Overall cost after the Medicare Rebate |
| Did Not Attend* / Late Cancellation fee (less than 6 hours) |
$50 | N/A | $50 |
| Initial Appointment (two or more issues) |
$344.40 | $259.4 | $85 |
| Initial Appointment (one issue) |
$233.35 | $148.35 | $85 |
| Review Appointment (two or more issues) |
$189.90 | $129.9 | $60 |
| Review Appointment (one issue) |
$134.25 | $74.25 | $60 |
Please note: you are only eligible for a Medicare rebate for Paediatric services if you have a valid referral. If you do not have a valid referral, you will need to pay the full fee and will not be eligible for a Medicare Rebate.
Lymphoedema Clinic
There is a co-payment for appointments with our lymphoedema therapists. Our intake team will advise you of the fee based on your household income.
| Consultation type | Low income | Medium income | High income |
|
Did Not Attend / Late Cancellation (within 6 hours) |
$20 | $20 | $20 |
| Initial Assessment | $50 | $65 | $75 |
| Review Appointment | $20 | $30 | $110 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I do not have a Medicare card?
If you do not have Medicare, you cannot be bulk billed or receive a rebate. You will need to pay the full fee for your appointment.
What if I have private health insurance?
You will need to pay for your appointment and get reimbursement from your insurance provider directly if you are entitled to it.
What if I am supported by WorkSafe/WorkCover or TAC (Traffic Accident Commission)?
- If you do not yet have your claim number, then you will need to pay for your appointments until you have one and seek reimbursement from the insurer directly.
- If you have an active claim number and you have provided it to us prior to your appointment, then we will continue to invoice the relevant insurance provider covering your claim, and there will be no cost to you.
How do I get my Medicare rebate?
For in-person appointments, you will return to the reception desk immediately after your consult and pay the full fee amount.
- If you pay via EFTPOS, the Medicare rebate will be paid directly into the bank account you have linked to your Medicare card within 24 hours.
- If you pay in cash, you will pay the full amount at the clinic. You will then need to claim your rebate directly from Medicare yourself.
If your appointment is via telehealth, we will send you a link via HotDoc so that you can pay the full fee online. Once we receive this, we will process the rebate and it will be deposited back into your account.
Are there any appointments that do not have a fee?
- Care plans will continue to be bulk billed for everyone.
- Vaccinations (COVID-19 and childhood vaccinations) will continue to be bulk billed.
- Influenza vaccines will be bulk billed for anyone that fits into one of the following criteria:
- People aged 65 years and over
- Pregnant women
- Children aged between six months to less than five years
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- People with certain medical conditions.
Appointments related to the Pharmacotherapy program will also be bulk billed. However, if you are a Pharmacotherapy client who has GP appointments for general healthcare, these appointments may be charged if you are not in one of our bulk billing cohorts.
What if I see the GP for a script, then come back later to see the nurse for an injection?
You will only be charged for the initial GP consult.
What if I am late to my appointment or I miss my appointment?
If you miss a GP appointment, or cancel within two hours, you will be charged a $20 fee.
If you miss a Paediatric appointment, or cancel within six hours, you will be charged a $50 fee.
If you have an outstanding fee, you may not be permitted to book another appointments until the fee is paid.
Please let us know as soon as you can if you need to cancel your appointment, so that we can offer the appointment to someone who is waiting.