Mount Waverley Medical Services is a mixed billing clinic, which means some patients will be charged an out of pocket fee to see our doctors. 

 

Why has the clinic transitioned to a mixed billing clinic?

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What is bulk-billing?

Medicare is a public health insurance scheme that provides rebates (support payments) to you when you access eligible health services, such as visiting your GP. These payments are yours, not your GP’s. In most cases, the rebate you receive does not cover the total cost of the health service provided. ‘Bulk billing’ is when a doctor bills Medicare directly for the services provided to you with no out-of-pocket expenses. If you are bulk-billed, your doctor has accepted the rebate that Medicare pays for that particular service. To continue to deliver the best possible quality of care, we feel that we have no choice but to move away from bulk-billing to a mixed billing model.  

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Why is the change to mixed billing necessary?

Simply put, the amount that Medicare pays for each appointment no longer covers the cost of running a medical practice. To enable our clinic to continue providing high-quality medical service, the only option is to move the practice to a mixed billing model.

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Our clinic has been providing quality health care to the Monash community for the last 12 years. There has been many challenges along the way, but none as difficult as the lack of funding for general practice perpetuated by successive governments. For the benefit of our patients, our clinic has been absorbing this loss for many years, but this is no longer sustainable for the practice. This is now the case for many GP clinics across Australia.

 

As a mixed billing clinic, our fees reflect the time taken and the degree of complexity of each consultation. The clinic will continue to bulk-bill children under the age of 16 years, pensioners (on presentation of a valid card) and DVA card holders only (on presentation of a valid card). Those with a valid health care card will incur a private fee. Additional payments may be required for certain services (For example: minor surgical procedures, immunisations etc.), and you will be informed of an estimated cost of any out of pocket fees by the treating doctor before the process takes place. 

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Privately billed consultations are payable at the end of the consultation and must be paid in full on the day.  Patients are responsible for paying these fees at the time of the consultation. We prefer EFTPOS and credit card (Visa and Mastercard) payments. Medicare rebates apply and our clinic will transmit your Medicare rebate electronically for you, for accounts paid on the day of consultation, and the funds are directly paid into your nominated bank account by Medicare in a few days. This service is a Medicare initiative and any concerns regarding your Medicare rebate payments should be directed to Medicare.

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This will allow us to maintain a high level of care for our patients.

If you have concerns about the rising out-of-pocket cost for healthcare, please notify your local state and federal members.

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Appointments and Fees

Bulk Billing is only available for the following patients:

1. Who are under the age of 16 years

2. Pensioners (on presentation of a valid card)

3. DVA Card holders (on presentation of a valid card)

 

Those who hold a Health Care Card holders will incur an out of pocket fee. Private patients without a valid Medicare card will be charged the full upfront fee. 

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After Hours (AH) billing applies for appointments booked from Monday to Friday after 8:00pm, after 1:00pm Saturday and all day Sunday, and all public holidays.

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The full upfront fee is payable at the end of the consultation. We prefer accounts to be settled via EFTPOS, Mastercard and Visa.

 

Below is an outline of the standard consultations and their approximate fees.

Kindly note that the below table outlines the basic consultations, and does not include fees for procedures etc.