|
Brand | Mental Health Care | Bulk-Billed GP Consult | After Hours |
|
| Yes |
Prescriptions & Mental Health Only | Yes |
|
| Yes |
Mental Health Only | Until 9pm |
|
| Yes |
Mental Health Only | |
|
| Yes |
Mental Health rebate | Yes |
|
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
| No | No | Half-day Sat |
|
| Yes |
Some doctors only. | Yes |
|
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
Prescriptions & Mental Health Only
Mental Health Only
Mental Health Only
Mental Health rebate
Some doctors only.
Bulk billing means the health professional charges the full cost for your appointment via Medicare. This means no out-of-pocket costs for you. [1]
Some telehealth providers offer services covered under Medicare with a gap fee. They may offer to process your rebate on your behalf. Alternatively, you can submit a digital claim through your myGov account or the Express Plus Medicare app. You could also mail in a form or hand it in at a Medicare Service Centre [2].
While there are fewer providers offering bulk billed telehealth services, telehealth consultations with your primary GP can be covered under Medicare (if you have seen them within the last 12 months). Fully bulk billed telehealth services, such as 13SICK, often have longer waiting times. Private providers often have shorter wait times, at prices sometimes similar to the gap fee at your local GP clinic. Some telehealth providers also offer monthly subscriptions, for example, Updoc, bringing down private costs further.
This depends on the provider. Some, like 13SICK, are government-funded, which means all Medicare cardholders receive bulk billed services. Some offer specific items such as mental health care plans or services for regional or rural patients or concession cardholders. Others have some doctors who bulk-bill or bulk-bill during “unsocial hours”, typically after 11 pm.
Accessibility
Bulk billed telemedicine offers free access to general practitioners and health professionals practising anywhere in Australia, from anywhere in the country. This is an important advantage for patients living in rural or remote areas. It removes significant barriers to accessing healthcare and makes it more available to all Australians.
This also means better secondary care and higher levels of compliance with treatments. After all, it is easier to follow through when you can access your doctor from anywhere at no cost and receive referrals or scripts at no cost, either.
Expanded Provider Options
Using telehealth providers vastly expands your choice beyond geographical limitations. It gives you access to services that might not be locally available. This variety ensures you receive the care you’re looking for, not one dictated by availability, location, or timing.
Convenience and Flexibility
Greater availability after-hours, on weekends, and during public holidays caters to anyone with a busy schedule or urgent medical needs outside traditional clinic hours. This can be especially important if your condition worsens after-hours or over the weekend, when some GP clinics are closed and the open ones experience higher demand,
Being able to have your appointment from the comfort of your own home allows you to rest while sick and saves time spent travelling to and waiting at the doctor’s practice. It can also play an important role if you have mobility issues.
Often, it's easier to reschedule your appointment online if your plans change. You may avoid a cancellation fee charged at your GP clinic.
Safety and Support
When you have your doctor’s consultation over the phone, you reduce the risk of spreading or contracting secondary infections. This could be an important factor if you have a compromised immune system or think your illness may be highly contagious.
Virtual consultations also make it easier for a support person to be present, giving you additional comfort and assurance.
If you have sensitive health needs, you may feel it is easier to open up to your health care provider virtually from your own home – and maybe with support at your side.
Inclusive and Efficient Care
Some providers offer interpreting or different language options for non-native speakers, ensuring language is less of a barrier to effective care.
The very fast availability of telehealth appointments at all hours also means faster access to referrals. Some providers also offer specialist appointments at a gap fee, further reducing your out-of-pocket costs. This is a perk when timely specialist consultations can be hard to come by via traditional health care providers.
Additionally, using your Medicare card simplifies the process from booking, through the consult, to receiving your treatment – all via bulk billing with no (or negligible) out-of-pocket cost.
It also enhances care continuity, as it allows for easy sharing of health information with your primary doctor via digital solutions.
