Fees & Billing
This is a private billing practice. The doctors charge a fee for the professional services they provide. Currently 100% of the schedule fee for consultations and 85% for procedures is refundable by Medicare. The doctors are independent practitioners who set their own individual fee rates and when those fee rates apply.
A quick guide to how Medicare works
Medicare is a public health insurance scheme. It provides rebates (support payments) to you when you access eligible health services. However, it may not cover the total cost of the health service. If you are ‘bulkbilled’, the doctor accepts the Medicare rebate as full payment for the service and you sign or press the OK button, to allow Medicare to directly pay your rebate to the GP. If you are ‘privately’ billed, you pay the GP’s fee in full. You will then receive the standard patient rebate, reimbursing you part of the fee you paid.
The reality is that Medicare rebates do not cover the cost of providing you with a safe and high quality service. This is because the rate at which successive governments have indexed the Medicare Schedule fees has been substantially lower than increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and average weekly earnings. The fees charged by this practice have to cover all of our practice costs including employing receptionists and practice nurses, and meeting our operating expenses such as rent, medical equipment, electricity, computers and insurance.
Past freezing and cutting of Medicare rebates has essentially devalued your GP. Inflation and award wages increases have put huge financial pressures on your General Practice.
What other professional do you see for $43.90? (the fee the government pays your doctor if the service is bulk billed)
We strive to give patients quality comprehensive care with a whole of practice approach to service delivery. The reality is that you pay more at the vet or the hairdresser than you do at the GP.
Bulk Billing
We usually bulk bill Veterans, pensioners and health care holders and children aged under 16 years. This is so the most vulnerable people in our community are not excluded from receiving quality care.
Each doctor may vary their fee policy. For example some doctors charge all patients on Saturday mornings and some doctors charge fees to health care card holders with a small out of pocket expense. Please check with reception at the time of booking.
Generally bulk-billed services include:
- Childhood immunisations
- Chronic Condition management plans
- Annual Health assessments (75 years and over)
- Home Medication Management reviews
- Annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Checks
- 45–49 year-old health checks for at-risk patients
Bulk Billing is also available, at the doctor’s discretion, to any patients who are experiencing significant financial difficulty. Please discuss this with your doctor at the time of your consultation, not with reception at the conclusion of your visit.
Please be advised that each doctor is responsible for charging his/her own fees and that just because one doctor bulk bills you, another doctor may not.
Standard Consultation Fees
| Service | Fee | Medicare Rebate | Your Out-of-Pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard face-to-face consultation | $95.90 | $43.90 | $52.00 |
Longer or more complex consultations will incur additional fees and attract a higher rebate. Patients can usually expect to be between $40 and $60 out of pocket for most services.
Your Medicare Rebate
All face-to-face consultations attract a Medicare rebate, meaning that you will receive a rebate from Medicare for part of your up-front payment, significantly reducing your out-of-pocket cost. We can submit your Medicare rebate claim at the time of payment via Easyclaim, with your rebate directly deposited into your nominated bank account. If you experience any delay or issue, please let us know and we will assist.
Other Services
Medicare will only rebate services performed by your GP or Nurse as part of a face-to-face consultation. A non-rebateable private fee applies for any services you request without an attendance (e.g. providing a script, referral or completing a form), and for WorkCover/InjuryNet consultations (no rebate).
Charges for repeat scripts and referrals without consultation:
| Repeat Script | $15 |
| Repeat Referral | $20 |
Most of the time you will be asked to book an appointment or telehealth before a repeat script or referral is issued.
Lost referral letters, prescriptions, pathology/radiology requests or copies of specialist letters may incur a $10 administration fee (not Medicare refundable). Please keep original documents as issued by your doctor.
Copies cannot be re-printed without a doctor reviewing and signing the paperwork.
Some GPs apply fees to all patients on Saturday. Please check at the time of booking.
If you are usually charged for appointments, you will have fees for telehealth appointments (we organise your rebate). Eligible bulk-bill patients (seen face-to-face in the previous 12 months) will be bulk-billed subject to Medicare rules.
To transfer your complete medical record to another practice, the following fees apply (covers registered post/secure communication):
| Up to 2 patients | $25 |
| 3 or more patients | $35 |
Health summaries are provided at no charge.
If you are experiencing significant financial hardship, please discuss this with your treating practitioner before your consultation.
Payment & Claims
Payment is required at the time of consultation. We have EFTPOS facilities (Mastercard & Visa) and rapid Medicare claim lodgement via Easyclaim.
The Medicare office is co-located with Centrelink at:
37–39 Cotton St, Nerang QLD 4211 | Phone: 132011
Don't Forget… The Medicare Safety Net
Make sure you are registered as a family or couple – registration forms are available in the waiting room. Once you reach a certain threshold, your visits will cost you less.