• Medicare rebates are available on many of the costs of services rendered.
• In most cases we are able to submit claims to Medicare electronically to ensure that you receive your rebate as quickly as possible.
• We ask  that all accounts are settled on the day.
• We accept cash, EFTPOS, Visa and MasterCard.

Please Note:   A higher consultation fee is charged on Sundays and Public Holidays, however these consultation fees attract a higher Medicare rebate.

From 1st January 2020 our fees will change as follows:

Australian Medical Association’s Recommended Fees

Our fees are below the Australian Medical Association’s recommended fees. The AMA reviews these fees each year and publishes a schedule of what it considers to be the reasonable costs of providing a quality GP service.

Schedule of Common Fees

At Nambour, Woombye and Palmwoods Clinics, our fees cover the cost of providing you with a high-quality healthcare service, including skilled doctors, practice nurses and reception staff who are committed to ongoing professional development. They also cover the provision of a purpose-built medical facility, as well as accreditation costs, medical equipment & consumables, rent, insurances, utilities, IT systems, and an integrated suite of comprehensive patient communications.

Children under 16 years of age, DVA and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients who are registered with NCACCH will continue to be bulk billed. Pensioner Concession Card holders may be bulk billed at the discretion of the doctor.  Selected nurse appointments will also continue to be bulk billed.

 

Schedule of Common Fees	Full Fee	Medicare Rebate	Gap
Standard consultation (Item Number: 23)	$75.00	$38.20	$36.80
Short consultation (Item Number: 3)	$48.00	$17.50	$30.50
Long consultation (Item Number: 36)	$111.00	$73.95	$37.05
Treatment Room Fees A treatment room fee may apply for various procedures, including plaster casting and dressings etc.
Discounted Schedule of Common Fees (Healthcare Card Holders and Pensioner Concession Card Holders)	Full Fee	Medicare Rebate	Gap
Standard consultation (Item Number: 23)	$50.00	$38.20	$11.80
Short consultation (Item Number: 3)	$29.00	$17.50	$11.50
Long consultation (Item Number: 36)	$86.00	$73.95	$12.05
Treatment Room Fees A treatment room fee may apply for various procedures, including plaster casting and dressings etc.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This list is provided as a guide, however, it is not exhaustive. Our practice has a mixed billing system at the discretion of our doctors. Our doctors or reception staff will be happy to provide you with an estimate of fees for services that fall outside of those listed above.

Payment and Medicare Rebates

For some doctors’ consultations, holders of a current Pensioner Concession Card, will be bulk billed directly to Medicare; all others will be charged based on our current fee schedule. Our current fee schedule will change in January 2020 to reflect the withdrawal of several government incentive programs and bulk billing incentives. This fee is payable at time of consultation, accounts will not be issued. For your convenience, we can immediately submit your Medicare claim, saving you the hassle of a separate claims process. A family can register for the Medicare safety net and may be eligible to reclaim some gap fees.

The Medicare System and Indexation of Rebates

Many people are under the misconception that Medicare provides a right to free GP services in Australia, however, Medicare is simply a government funded health insurance subsidy scheme. Some medical practices choose to accept the scheduled Medicare rebate as full payment for their services, known as ‘bulk billing’. However, these rebates often do not cover the full cost of delivering a high-quality health service. The Government’s indexation of Medicare rebates has also not kept pace with CPI, which is placing unsustainable pressure on general medical practices.

Click here to view a graph showing the ever-widening gap between CPI and the Medicare rebate.

AWE (Average Weekly Earnings) and CPI (Consumer Price Index) increase each year. Practice costs rise by the same amount. Government’s indexation of Medicare rebates has never kept pace with the rising cost of medical practice. This is why your Medicare rebate is worth less every year. Concerned? Talk to your local Federal MP.