Changes to our billing structure
From 15 March 2021, Goodwin Drive Family Medical Centre will become a Mixed Billing Practice. Our fees reflect the time taken and the degree of complexity of each consultation. Private fees are required to be paid on the day of consultation. Eftpos facilities are available for your convenience. We can assist you with your Medicare Rebate. We currently continue to bulk bill children under 16 years, pensioners and DVA card holders.
Why change is necessary?
Unfortunately, we are no longer able to sustain 100% bulk billing as the amount set by the Government does not cover the cost of providing a high-quality medical service. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) recommended rate for a consultation less than 20 minutes is $84.00. The Government currently pays $38.75 for a consultation less than 20 minutes and froze the rebate for a period of five years (2014-2019) which meant there was no increase in income for this period of time despite increases in wages, rental expenses, equipment and consumables, etc. We will be charging $65.00 for a consultation less than 20 minutes which is still considerably less than AMA recommendations.
We value our Doctors and think they are worth more than the low level rebates the Government is prepared to pay for their service. We want to attract and maintain the very best General Practitioners and continue maintaining a high-quality service.
At the same time our Doctors understand that there are times when private patients experience financial difficulty and they have the discretion to bulk bill where there is a genuine need.
Appointment notices
We require a minimum two hours notice if you are unable to attend an appointment so that we may offer your appointment to another patient in need. If you do not attend your appointment and do not give the minimum two hours notice you will be charged a $50 non-attendance fee for ALL non-attendances from the date of billing changes.
Complete details
Download the complete list of details below, or simply call us.
Download Information Guide
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