Jamboree Medical Centre Fees

Private billing means that patients pay an out-of-pocket cost for appointments. This is the same way that our adult patients who do not hold Centrelink or DVA concession cards have always been billed. It represents a new cost for most patients who have previously been bulk-billed.

Our doctors and staff believe in providing the highest quality patient care. We are a privately owned small business (like many other general practices). Keeping our doors open and providing the type of care you deserve involves many expenses, including rent, wages, electricity, cost of medical equipment and supplies, etc. Unfortunately, the Medicare rebate (your rebate), set by the government, only covers a small portion of these costs. Successive governments have frozen the Medicare rebates or increased them by tiny amounts that are well below the cost of living (and running a business) index. Accepting a bulk-billed rebate as payment now represents about a 50% discount on our standard fees. Trying to ensure accessible care, we have been absorbing these costs, but the time has come when we can non longer do so and have to make changes to keep our doors open.

You will be charged the full consultation fee at the end of your appointment. Payment is required on the day, and can be by credit card, debit card or cash. We then process your Medicare rebate on your behalf. If you have a card linked to a savings (non-credit card) account, we can use that to get the money back into your account, usually the same day. Otherwise, provided you have registered your account information with Medicare, they usually rebate into your account within 2 business days. We often get asked why you can’t just pay the “gap” – the difference between the full charge and the Medicare rebate – and then have us collect the rebate separately. Unfortunately, this is specifically disallowed by Medicare’s legislation.

In continuing recognition of equitable access to care, we will be charging a discounted fee to some groups of patients. Our reception staff can offer you advice about likely fees at the time of booking; however, please remember that the charge will vary depending on the length of the appointment, the number of issues discussed, and whether any tests or procedures are performed.

There is a potential advantage to registering for the Medicare Safety Net. Each year, once you accrue more than a threshold amount of gap costs (across all GP and other specialist services), your rebate for many services is increased. Single people are automatically registered if they have a Medicare card. Couples and families who register as a group will usually reach threshold amounts sooner. For more information see https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare-safety-nets. You can register online via that link, or our receptionist can provide you with a form.