Medical Billing Policy:

Bulk Billing Is Available

Bulk billing is available for concession holders or for those who request to be bulk billed at the time of making an appointment. 

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Doctors Fees
(please see our doctors fees below)

The fee charged by our medical practitioners at Coolalinga Doctors and Health Centre, cover not only their own personal income, but also his or her practice costs – the wages for practice staff, and other costs for running a medical centre such as equipment, medical supplies, cleaning, rent,electricity, computers, continuing professional development, accreditation and insurance. We aim to provide excellence in care at an affordable rate for our patients.

Our fees are based on The Australian Medical Association (AMA) fee structures and are displayed in our reception area. Fees are payable at the time of consultation by cash, cheque, Mastercard or Visa.

Bulk Billing

Our Practice bulk bills as follows:

 An eligible concession is an Australian Government issued Commonwealth Pension Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card, Commonwealth Health Care Card,Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Department of Veterans Affairs White Card (white card for specific conditions only). Cards issued by Centrelink are eligible.

Home Visits

Home visits are generally not bulk billed however the treating doctor may bulk bill you at their discretion.

Claiming Your Medical Rebate

In most instances your payment can be immediately submitted to Medicare electronically on your behalf; and the rebate put straight back into your account. Our EFTPOS terminals can process your rebate instantly with a swipe of your EFTPOS card.

You can also take your receipt to any Medicare office and they will process the rebate for you.

Please note that sometimes this may be necessary due to circumstances outside our control. For example, Medicare only puts rebates back onto a cheque or savings a/c card. If you pay cash or use a credit card the eftpos machine is not equipped to refund your rebate. Where this happens our staff will recommend that you take the account to Medicare personally to obtain your rebate. Please note that Medicare no longer pays rebates in cash.

Questions You May Have

1. What are the fees at Coolalinga Doctors and Health Centre? How much do I have to pay?

The Medicare rebate of $37.05 for a standard consultation is less than what it costs us to provide that service; this is why we charge the standard appointment  fee when a person does not fit the criteria for bulk billing. This situation has  arisen because the Federal Government continues to ignore the real costs of providing high quality General Practice services and has failed to index the rebates with the cost of living for decades.

 2. How much do I get back from Medicare?

The rebate from Medicare for a standard consultation as at 1st November 2014, is $37.05. This means that for a charge of $70, your out-of-pocket expense is $32.95.

How do I claim my rebate back from Medicare? As already stated above, there are two ways to claim your rebate back from Medicare.

1. Our EFTPOS terminals can process your rebate instantly with a
swipe of your EFTPOS card.

2. You can take your receipt to any Medicare office and they will
process the rebate for you. (Please note that Medicare no longer pays rebates in cash)

3. Are there any exceptions?

Workers Compensation & Compulsory 3rd Party Claims. In this
case, you need to provide us with the contact details of your insurer, your case manager, and your policy number.

This process can be done easily and smoothly by giving us these
details before your appointment. We will confirm the details with your insurer; and they will be invoiced for your appointments.