Payment Policy
Payment Options
Overview
Our reception staff will be happy to advise you of the consultation fee upon booking an appointment over the telephone. Fees for consultation along with other necessary forms will also be emailed to you for your convenience upon booking an appointment.
- Consultation and Surgical fees are billed directly through to Medicare, but you will be required to claim back payment from your private health insurer
- Where out-of-pocket co-payment is required which can vary depending on the type and complexity of surgery or procedure. Patients will be advised, in writing, after the consultation, the amount of gap payment.
- Fees for uninsured patients are advised by the accounts manager upon request.
Payment on the day of consultation is much appreciated.
Payment Methods?
For your convenience we accept a number of payment methods in the rooms, by post and online:
- EPTPOS
- Credit Card: VISA, Mastercard (No AMEX)
- Electronic other - (BPay)
Other Payment Choices
- Medical Finance
- Early Release of Superannuation
- Tax Rebate Scheme
No Private Health Insurance
If you are not in a Private Health Fund or DVA and you need surgery, you have three alternatives:
- Go on a Waiting List at the Public Hospital, or
- Pay for the operation and other related hospital costs yourself
- Access your super to fund for your obesity surgery (this requires an application for Early Release of Superannuation which we can help you with)
Waiting List
However, the Waiting List for operations in the Public system is considerable. It is currently upwards of 5 years for bariatric surgery in Victoria and upto 12 months for many of the benign conditions in General Surgery. Patients are admitted to hospital based on the urgency of their condition as well as a "first come, first served" basis.
Self-insured
An increasing number of people are choosing to "Self Insure" or pay for their own surgery, so they don't have to wait. Whilst this can be a worthwhile investment as it means you can have your operation done quicker or whenever it suits you, it is generally not recommended for most bariatric procedures (with exceptions in a small minority of cases).
However, the costs may not be as high as you think for certain (non-bariatric) procedures.
All the private hospital fees associated with your surgery are an out-of-pocket expense, but we will assist you in obtaining an estimate of costs from the private hospital before you go ahead with your surgical procedure.
Call the practice and they will be happy to provide you with accurate costing. If you require more information, please do not hesitate to call us on during office hours.