Fee Schedule | Francis Family Doctors

Fee Statement

The Doctors providing a service at the practice hub, may choose to bulk bill your consultation to Medicare (with no gap to pay – the Doctor only receives the Medicare rebate) or charge you a private fee (with an ‘out of pocket’ gap).

Medicare rebates alone do not cover the full cost of providing patients with medical care. The AMA recommended rates are more than double. This is because the rate at which successive governments have indexed the Medicare Schedule Fees has been substantially lower than increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The reality is that these rebates alone do not cover the cost of the Doctors & the Practice providing you with a safe and high-quality service.

The fees charged by your doctor must also cover the costs to enable Francis Family Doctors to provide a service for them. This includes staff, equipment, insurance, software, rent, dressings, nurse time, staff training, security, repairs & maintenance, phone, internet, electricity, rates, and water. The fees charged by your doctor are subject to change.

Bulk-billed & Private Patients

Residents of the Fraser Coast with a current Pension, Health Care Card, Commonwealth Seniors Concession, Veterans Affairs Card and those with a gross family income of less than AU$40,000 (ATO proof of income required annually) may be bulk-billed for most services
Children under 16 yrs are usually bulk-billed for general consultations (excluding procedures & initial visit)
Antenatal consultations are usually bulk-billed (routine and less than 15 mins)
Patients who do not meet the above criteria are considered private patients and will need to pay for the consultation on the day. The practice has an electronic transfer system to refund the Medicare rebate immediately into your bank account. The patient must be present at the consult to claim through Medicare.
Private & Concession patients who present a valid Medicare card and attend only for a short consultation of less than 6 minutes for a single non-complex issue may be bulk-billed at the Doctors discretion. This is generally only for a prescription, medical certificate, vaccine, single concern or routine follow-up of a test or procedure. If multiple problems are requested or arise at these consultations, either your doctor may ask you to book another appointment or a fee including a gap will be charged
Consultation fees are time based and billing is determined by your GP
A non-Medicare claimable fee is applicable & payable upfront if the patient is not present, the service is not ‘medically necessary’ as specified by Medicare rules or not claimable through Medicare
Any Specialist after-care performed here will incur a time-based private fee which is not Medicare rebatable
Visits related to Workers Compensation, work & income claims, medicals, insurance & legal forms, commercial driver’s licence medicals, travel vaccinations & insurance claims, call-out home visits and most procedures are not bulk-billed and in some cases may not be claimable from Medicare
There is a consumables fee e.g. excisions & minor operations, packs & dressings, ear syringing, miscellaneous & additional items. This fee is payable on the day and is not bulk-billed
Travellers or temporary residents will be billed as private patients and will need to pay upfront.

Private Consultation – Schedule of Fees

Short Consult (< 6 mins) $49.00 Out of pocket Gap = $29.40 (Single non-complex issue)
Standard (6-19 mins) $85.00 Out of Pocket Gap = $42.15 (The recommended AMA standard consultation fee for up to 20 minutes is currently $102.00)

Long (20-40 mins) $155.00 Out of Pocket Gap = $72.10 (AMA fee = $188)
Prolonged (> 40 mins) $240.00 Out of Pocket Gap = $117.85 (AMA fee = $285)
All new Patients usually require a at least a Long consultation @ $155.00. The out of pocket gap is $72.10
Overseas visitors are billed at AMA recommended rates and must pay at the time of the consult
Seasonal influenza vaccine consultations are bulk-billed; however, the injection stock is only funded for some patients, so there may be an out of pocket cost for this vaccine if not eligible
Some other vaccines (including for travel) are provided at a cost and not Government funded, check with our reception staff for individual pricing.

Concession/Discount Consultation – Schedule of Fees

Short Consult (< 6 mins) $37.60 Out of pocket Gap = $18.00 (Single non-complex issue)
Standard (10-19 mins) $75.00 Out of Pocket Gap = $32.15
Long (20-40 mins) $135.00 Out of Pocket Gap = $52.10
Prolonged (>40 mins) $213.00 Out of Pocket Gap = $90.85
All new Patients usually require a long consultation, which attracts a fee. The out-of-pocket amount is $52.10.
Seasonal influenza vaccine consultations are bulk-billed; however, the injection stock is only funded for some patients, so there may be an out of pocket expense for this vaccine if not eligible
Some other vaccines (including for travel) are provided at a cost and not Government funded.

Procedures, Excisions & Minor surgery Arrangements – Please note, any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should discuss this and any concerns with your Doctor. A Deposit may be required on the day.

The doctor will indicate when an appointment is available & the time required
On the day, a procedure consent form is signed, and a consumables fee is payable to the practice, (no fee for DVA Gold card holders or DVA White card holders who have an approved condition covered)
The Doctor’s fee for the procedure is invoiced after the pathology result is returned (for Medicare item #)
A gap fee amount owing will be notified by letter (procedures are not bulk billed)
The practice sends the claim to Medicare on behalf of the patient & doctor
A Medicare cheque is posted to the patient and must be given to the practice as part payment of the invoice
Exceptions – Vasectomy & Circumcisions require a deposit on booking and are billed & payable on the day.

After Hours Care

In the case of an emergency, dial 000 for an Ambulance
Mid-week this service is shared between the Doctors at Kent Street Medical Centre and our practice, with all call-outs privately charged
We have an arrangement with House Call Doctor for weekend call outs (bulk-billed)
Phone this surgery on 4197 1567 and a recorded message will provide the contact details of the on-call doctor. If you cannot contact the doctor on-call, please go directly to the Accident & Emergency department at the Maryborough Hospital.

Preventative Healthcare Services – mostly bulk billed

40 – 49 year old Health Assessment
75+ Health Assessment
Aboriginal &/or Torres Strait Health Assessment
Well-being & Mental health care plans
Chronic Disease Care Plans & Reviews
Diabetes Annual cycle of Care
Asthma plans & Spirometry
Electrocardiogram (ECG) as part of an annual care plan
INR testing
Home Medication Reviews (completed by your Pharmacist)

Note: It is important that patients ring the surgery on 4197 1567 for an appointment and let reception staff know which service is required, so the appropriate time can be booked with the Nurse and the Doctor.

Important Information

Script requests require a consultation. If there are exceptional circumstances that require an over-the-counter script, it will be at the Doctors discretion and a fee will be payable upfront
Referrals to a Specialist require a consultation (new & repeat) and prior to your Specialist appointment. If there are exceptional circumstances that require an emergency referral for example, you are already at the Specialist, a fee will be payable upfront to the doctor
Requests to backdate specialist referrals contravenes Medicare Legislation and cannot be done
Completion of forms & paperwork e.g. Travel subsidy, Centrelink forms etc. require a consultation
Results of INRs require a brief consultation
All results e.g. blood tests, scans, x-rays, excisions etc. require a consultation to discuss these with your GP, unless your doctor has instructed differently. This ensures clear explanation and ongoing advice
All medicals & procedures require a long consultation, so please advise reception staff when booking
Full Woman’s checks including a cervical screen, breast examination, family planning, hormone checks, menopause management etc. require a long consultation
Transfer of Medical records incur a fee for a copy of the record. A summary is provided free of charge
If you do not have a current valid Medicare card in your possession or on our practice records, you will be charged the full fee payable on the day. We are unable to ring Medicare on your behalf as our staff are busy and Medicare routinely puts callers on hold for long periods
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please call and advise our receptionist or a missed appointment fee may be charged if less than 24 hrs notice. Appointments will not be changed by email.
When you arrive for your appointment, please inform the receptionist of your arrival so that we can check you in on our appointment system & the doctor is aware that you have arrived. Your ID will also be checked.
If more than one person from your family wishes to see the doctor at the same time, please make a separate appointment for each family member
Overdue accounts require full payment prior to further GP appointments being made
If you or your family members require the services of an interpreter due to non-English speaking or hearing impaired, we can organise this for you. Please advise us when making your appointment
As employers, we are obligated to provide a safe workplace for our staff. Patients who verbally abuse or threaten our staff will be asked to leave the practice and seek service & care elsewhere
Patients will be asked screening questions when booking an appointment and attending the practice. This is part of our COVID management plan to protect our patients, our team and enable us to continue providing our services. The questions must be answered truthfully for our practice to continue offering appointments. If you answer yes to any of our questions it does not mean that we will deny you treatment – we will arrange a phone consult with the Doctor if required
Telehealth (inc. Phone) consultations require you to be available at the booked time and be present on the call. The above Consultation Fees also apply to Telehealth and Phone consultations. A Medicare rebate only applies if you have been seen by a Practitioner in our Practice in the previous 12 months
This document is a guide to Doctor’s & Practice Fees. Doctors reserve the right to charge a varied amount for their services.

Compliments & Concerns

At Francis Family Doctors, we are aware that at times things do not turn out the way you expect. If this happens we encourage you to let us know and we commit to helping work through any concerns you have. Sometimes it may be a misunderstanding or maybe that we have simply got it wrong. We need to hear, so we can improve. Please address any feedback relating to a Doctor directly to them and it will be forwarded on. We also encourage you to let us know when you are satisfied & happy with our administration services & the Doctors.

There are feedback forms available from reception if you wish to let us & the Doctors know how we are going.

Accreditation & Quality Improvement

Every three years the process and quality systems of Francis Family Doctors are reviewed by Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL), an organisation who service and support general practices.

AGPAL is a provider for general practice accreditation & quality improvement services within Australia, dedicated to working with clients to meet the requirements of the national industry standards – the Royal Australian College of General Practitioner Standards for general practices.

As a part of the accreditation process in relation to customer service, patients are asked to complete a survey. This is to ascertain in a formal way how our patients view us and how we are traveling. The survey results are bench-marked against other general practices in Australia. These results and areas for improvement are discussed during accreditation. Also as part of quality control & care, our staff will often ask to check & update your details.

Francis Family Doctors – Looking after you with access to trusted health care when you need it most