The Flinders Peak Medical Centre is a mixed billing practice.
We continue to bulk bill patients who are under the age of 16 years old, who have a current Medicare card number, Pensioner Concession Card holders, Health Care Card holders & Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders for most types of consultations.
DVA card holders will continue to have eligible consults billed to DVA for most types of consultations.
Patients will need to keep their details up to date with Services Australia and the practice in order to be bulk billed. The list of patients eligible to be bulk billed is subject to change.
After an in-practice consultation all patients need to go to the Reception desk to finalise their visit.
For Telehealth consultations patients pay by credit card over the phone with Reception. An EFTPOS transaction surcharge paid by the patient applies to all transactions. To receive a Medicare contribution for a telehealth consultation the patient needs to have an established clinical relationship with the doctor who provides the service. For our practice this means the patient needs to have had at least one, face-to-face consultation with a doctor at our practice in the 12 months preceding the telehealth consultation. Telehealth consultations are not bookable online. Please call (07) 5464 6765 to talk with a Receptionist if you wish to book a telehealth consultation.
We work by appointments and reserve the appointment especially for the booked patient. We have a wait list and like to fill all appointments times. If you do not arrive without notice to us, you may be charged. From 1 November 2023 we have a Did Not Attend Policy with a Did Not Arrive/Attend Fee of $45.00 applicable to both Concessional and Non-Concessional patients with an EFTPOS transaction surcharge paid by the patient. Please refer to the Policy for more information. There is no Medicare rebate for a Did Not Arrive/Attend fee.
The list of most common service item numbers and fees are listed below. A longer list will be available at Reception. The fees will reflect the time taken and the degree of complexity for each consultation. The fees are applicable per patient, not per family. The list of fees and list of patients eligible to be bulk billed is subject to change.
Patients who are not bulk billed need to pay in full on the day of service.
An EFTPOS transaction surcharge for debit and credit cards applies to all transactions and is paid by the patient.
Non-Concessional patients are privately billed for the procedures listed below and the total fee includes a practice facility fee of $25.00:
● wedge resections and nail removals
● removal of a foreign body requiring incision
● repairs of wounds requiring sutures
● incision and drainage of haematoma / abscess / boil
● dressings of burns
● dressing of wounds.
Please talk with Reception for detailed pricings.
Fees from 23 September 2024:
| AFTER HOURS no concession card | Upfront cost | Medicare rebate | Patient out-of-pocket amount |
| Standard consult before 8.00 am weekdays & all day Sundays MBS Item 5020 | $105.00 | $55.80 | $49.20 |
| Long consult before 8.00 am weekdays & all day Sundays MBS Item 5040 | $150.00 | $95.70 | $54.30 |
| STANDARD HOURS no concession card | Upfront cost | Medicare rebate | Patient out-of-pocket amount |
| Standard consult after 8.00 am weekdays MBS item 23 | $80.00 | $42.85 | $37.15 |
| Long consult after 8.00 am weekdays MBS item 36 | $125.00 | $82.90 | $42.10 |
| Prolonged consult after 8.00 am weekdays MBS item 44 | $165.00 | $122.15 | $42.85 |
| COMMON, ADDITIONAL SERVICES no concession card | Upfront cost | Medicare rebate | Patient out-of-pocket amount |
| ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG) to graph heart’s activity. Twelve‑lead trace. This is added to a Standard, Long or Prolonged Consult, MBS Item 11707 | $40.00 | $17.85 | $22.15 |
| PREGNANCY TEST. This is added to a Standard, Long or Prolonged Consult, MBS Item 73806 | $15.00 | $8.65 | $6.35 |
| TELEHEALTH TELEPHONE CONSULT Please see the Medicare Rebate Process note for Telehealth consultations. | Upfront cost | Medicare rebate | Patient out-of-pocket amount |
| very short Telephone consult MBS Item 91890 | $40.00 | $19.60 | $20.40 |
| Standard Telephone consult MBS Item 91891 | $80.00 | $42.85 | $37.15 |
| SKIN PROCEDURES | Upfront cost | Medicare rebate | Patient out-of-pocket amount |
| Consult 1: Pre-procedure consult bulk billed for Concession card holders, NON-Concession card holders privately billed, MBS item 23 | Concession card holders: bulk billed. NON-Concession card holders $80.00. | $42.85 | Consult 1: no out of pocket for concession card holders. $37.15 for NON-Concession card holders. |
| Consult 2: Procedure This is when the skin excision is done. | The billing is held awaiting the pathology result. | billing is held awaiting the pathology result | |
| Consult 3: Post-procedure consult for Concession Card holders and NON-Concession card holders MBS excision item + gap + practice facility fee of $25. | All excision patients pay in full. Amount depends on item number billed. Could be $500 up front. | Medicare rebate depends on item number billed. | Post-procedure consult: expect a $100 to $150 out-of-pocket expense. |
| FEMALE CONTRACEPTION | Upfront cost | Medicare rebate | Patient out-of-pocket amount |
| IUD (Mirena) Insertion Privately billed for all patients including Concession card holders. Insertion MBS item 35503 + required Pregnancy test MBS item 73806 + practice facility fee of $25.00 | $200.00 | $86.30 (being $77.65 item 35503 + $8.65 bulk billed preg test, item 73806) | $113.70 |
| IUD (Mirena) Removal Privately billed for all patients including Concession card holders. MBS Item 23 | $125.00 | $42.85 | $82.15 |
| No discount for Mirena removal and insertion of a new Mirena same day | |||
| Implanon Insertion Privately billed for non-concessional patients MBS item 14206 | $90.00 | $34.50 | $55.50 |
| Implanon Removal Privately billed for non-concessional patients MBS item 30062 | $110.00 | $58.85 | $51.15 |
| No discount for Implanon removal and insertion of a new Implanon same day |
| IRON INFUSION | Upfront cost | Medicare rebate | Patient out-of-pocket amount |
| Privately billed for all patients, including Concession card holders MBS Item 36 + practice facility fee of $50.00 | $200.00 | $82.90 | $117.10 |
All patients will need to keep their details up to date with the practice and Medicare to receive a Medicare rebate.
All concessional beneficiaries need to keep their details up to date with the practice and Centrelink/Services Australia and/or DVA.
Patients need to have their concession card type, number and expiry date recorded on the practice software.
Patients need to register their bank account details with Medicare to receive a Medicare rebate. Medicare does not send cheques or pay cash rebates. Please see Getting Medicare Benefits
Items that do not attract a Medicare contribution:
Employment and insurance medicals, legal reports, medicals for recreational activities and Workcover claims are all privately billed and not receive a rebate from Medicare. Receptionists will advise on the fee for non-bulk-billed services in accordance with our schedule of fees when you book this sort of consultation.
Harness racing, Drag racing and Commercial Drivers License medicals are $150.00 (including GST).
Patients interested in Q Fever testing and Q Fever vaccinations are advised to please ring the surgery for more information about the cost and consultation process.
The administrative cost to prepare your medical records for a different surgery is $44.00 for the full file or $22.00 for a summary.
We do not do Aviation medical assessments, Boxing medicals, Diving medicals or assessments or reports for a Firearm or Weapons licence.
Infants and children without a Medicare card
Child without a Medicare Card, over the age of 2 months old, who is eligible for a Medicare card but has not yet got one, Standard Consult MBS Item 23, upfront cost $65.00 or Long Consult MBS item 36, upfront cost $105.00.
We understand that some parents and carers may feel overwhelmed in the first few weeks and months of caring for a child. We nevertheless require a valid Medicare card number for all infants and children who are treated at the practice if they are to be bulk billed.
As well as this, having your child registered with Medicare will assist you financially if your infant or child is referred on for tests, scans, or specialist treatment.
There are many ways to register a child with Medicare. Please see: Enrolling your baby with Medicare We can hold aside bulk billing claims for an infant until they are 2 months of age.
After this time, if the child does not have a Medicare card number, the parent or carer will be responsible for paying for the consultation on the day of service. A receipt will be given that can then be submitted to Medicare for a rebate when or if the child is registered with Medicare. Any held aside claims which have arisen over the preceding 2 months will also need to be paid in full. The receipt can then be submitted to Medicare within 2 years of the service date when or if the child is registered with Medicare.
Where can I direct my opinions about the change the Flinders Peak Medical Centre made from universal bulk-billing to mixed billing in November 2023?
If you wish to voice your protest about the demise of Medicare universal bulk billing we suggest you contact the Honorable Mark Bulter MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care and/or the Honorable Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care.