Fees

Our fees are based on, but usually lower than, the fees recommended by the AMA.

They are revised each year with the Medicare Benefit Schedule provided by Medicare (Department of Human Services).

All consultation fees are payable at the time of consultation and can be paid by Cash, cheque, Mastercard, Visa and EFTpos.

Because fees, rebates and agreements vary from fund to fund, and between the funds and doctors, it is not possible to predict out of pocket expenses for surgical procedures prior to consultation with the surgeon.

However, before you are booked in for surgery, we will give you a written estimate for the cost of your procedure, outlining what your health fund will pay and what your out-of-pocket expenses would be. We try and make these estimates as accurate as possible, but the circumstances encountered at surgery may result in some variation from the predicted fee. Should this occur, we will happily explain those circumstances to you at the earliest opportunity.

The fees charged by the hospital and the anaesthetist are additional to the fees charged by the surgeon, and may or may not be fully covered by your health fund. You should contact each to discuss their billing practices and any out-of-pocket expenses:

OzMed Trust Anaesthetics – (02) 4480 6464 or www.ozmedtrust.com.au

Illawarra Anaesthetics – (02) 4228 5055 or www.iass.net.au

Nowra Private Hospital – (02) 44215855 or www.nowraprivate.com.au

Shellharbour Private Hospital – (02) 4295 2999 or www.shellharbourprivate.com.au

Wollongong Private Hospital – (02) 4286 1000 or www.wollongongprivate.com.au

We understand that the out-of-pocket expenses incurred under some funds can be significant. Our staff is happy to discuss this with you and, where necessary, arrange a tailored repayment plan to accommodate you.

Workers compensation:Patients are seen and billed directly to their insurer on the condition that they have a current approval from their insurance company for the consultation. If a patient sees the doctor without a current approval, the patient is charged in full for the consultation and must obtain reimbursement from their insurer.

Third Party Insurance:These patients are seen and billed as private patients and must organise reimbursement from their insurer. We will not deal directly with any third party insurer.

DVA:Patients carrying an eligible repatriation card are billed directly through Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

All defence personnel are billed directly through Medibank Health Services (Garrison Health). All consultations and operations must be booked through the Medical Centre on base.