googy

Be careful - Medicare and DIAC databases are electronically linked. I would assume they do database 'swaps', thus ensuring you are entitled to the medicare card. If they find you have the card and you shouldn't - you may be in trouble...

Wol

There's no such thing as a "prescription charge" - that's UK NHS thinking.

You actually pay for the medication here, so it depends on what you're on. Generics are cheaper, of course.

The whole Medicare empire is incomprehensible: I had a week in hospital in March, followed a week later by another week in the local hospital via their emergency room (the first hospital having given me a near-fatal infection), and the bills are still coming in. I am with MBF, who paid for the hospital bed, but the operation was "not yet approved" (after 6 years...) So I had to pay some $3100 for the operation, plus several $K for various tests, doctors in hospital, medications etc.

*Then* you go to Medicare and fill in a "Dual claim" form - for some of it. After six weeks you get various cheques from Medicare made out to the providers, for a percentage of the Medicare approved fee - which is itself less than what you are being charged. You have to take these in to the various offices. Your fund - if you have one - puts a percentage of what *they* say the fee should be into your bank account. Then you have to go to the providers - are you still with me? - and write cheques for the remainder.

It may be simple to some folk, but I have a mountain of forms and receipts and invoices and statements, all in differing presentations and I haven't the faintest idea what is happening!

Moral: stay fit!

BAY

Sorry still confused

So does being part of Medicare and Bulk Billing mean the same thing ? i.e. can the tretment be covered by Medicare but not bulk billed ?

Wol

Yes - and most of the time it is so.

BAY

When would it be covered by Medicare but not be bulk billed ? and why would it not be bulk billed if it is covered by Medicare ?

Wol

It depends on the provider: Medicare sets a standard fee for everything, and in many areas doctors etc charge more than that. For example, my doctor charges $56 for a consultation: the Medicare fee is less than this and since Medicare only pays a percentage of their own assessed fee you get a refund for around $32 IIRC, leaving my own payment $24.

In some parts the doctor will charge the Medicare fee, and will "bulk bill" that. I don't know if you still have to pay any difference - no-one round here bulk bills!

BAY

Thanks for the reply. I think I understand . A doctor won't bulk bill when he charges more than the Medicare standard charge. In this case you take the receipt to Medicare who will refund 85% of the Medicare standard charge for the treatment

Wol

I *think* that's it but it's only the tip of the iceberg - it gets a lot more complcated!

Eg., if your doctor requires path tests, the pat lab may or may not bulk bill. If they do, you just sign and that's it. But if you are in hospital, you may have to pay and go through the procedure I described above. Or then again, you may not.

Then there's the "Gap" payment..................

Wendy

I'd do exactly the same, it's the worst feeling in the world when it's not being treated properly.

Definitely visit that clinic, the doctor I saw was a specialist in Thyroid disorders and he was fantastic, I've never felt better.

Brisbane bound

Yes, same thing happened to us.

NickyC

Yes, you're right.

When a doctor bulk-bills, he/she is effectively reducing their prospective income - because they will only be paid 85% of the scheduled fee by Medicare. They miss out altogether on the extra 15% of the fee PLUS any extra that they might have charged. This is why you'll find not many doctors bulk-bill nowadays.

To a doctor, the advantage of bulk-billing is that they don't have the hassle of collecting money from patients, they get all their income direct from Medicare and they need less staff and equipment to manage bill-payments etc. The disadvantage of bulk-billing, of course, is that their income is reduced.

Some large practices DO bulk-bill. They tend to be the walk-in/no-appointment-necessary medical practices. I imagine they make up their income by the sheer volume of people walking in the door.

jayr

Agreed, Medicare on TEMPORARY visa covers an awful lot of stuff. I'm not too sure what it DOESN'T cover but it is misleading to suggest that it much of a lesser service than that available to PR.

The Reciprcocal agreement covers EMERGENCY treatment. However, most people take that to mean breaking your leg only but it doesn't. It basically means if you have a current medical problem that require treatment and is not cosmetic then you are pretty much covered. It would be worth checking the exclusions but I think my wife's sight test WAS covered.

I have no private medical insurance and seem to get by fine. Remember, having no medical insuance means you are self insuring; you wither wait longer for Medicare or choose to pay private costs out of your own pocket. If you have private then not only do you pay extraordinary premiums but eveytime you get treated they want more money to cover 'gap fees'.

Something of a con to reduce the government's costs methinks and seem to fool most people.

googy

Whilst your visa is NOT entitled to Medicare, because you are from UK, you are an 'approved' country for reciprocal treatment, thus you can get a medicare card.

Cheers
Casey

Wol

>> Something of a con to reduce the government's costs methinks and seem to fool most people.<<

Indeed - but you *do* get taxed less for having it.

Wol

Correct - I used to have one when I worked in Oz on temporary visas 17 years ago. Tried to use it when we arrived, but they'd changed the system and lost all the information!