Fees and Payments
At Deer Park Medical Centre, we understand the importance of providing affordable healthcare to our patients.
After considering rising costs of providing healthcare services and the freeze in the Medicare funding, Deer Park Medical Centre has therefore implemented a mixed billing policy to ensure that all patients have access to quality healthcare while also maintaining the sustainability of our practice.
Effective from 1st July 2023, Deer Park Medical Centre has implemented a Mixed Billing Policy for After Hours.
Effective from 15th Nov 2023, Deer Park Medical Centre has implemented a Mixed Billing Policy for All Hours.
Bulk BillingWe will continue to bulk bill if patients fulfil the criteria below:
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Private Billing
For patients who do not fall under the Bulk Billing category, private billing for all consultations will apply.
After Hours Billing
All patients consulting Dr Emily De Luca after hours will be privately billed except children under the age of 16.
Private Billing Schedule for Deer Park Medical Centre with Medicare Rebates 2024-25:
Consultation Type | Fee | Medicare Rebate | Out of Pocket |
| Brief Phone Consultation | $49.60 | $19.60 | $30.00 |
| Standard Phone Consultation | $72.85 | $42.85 | $30.00 |
| Brief Consultation (level A) | $49.60 | $19.60 | $30.00 |
| Standard Consultation (level B) (6 to 19 minutes) | $72.85 | $42.85 | $30.00 |
| Long Consultation (level C) (20 to 39 minutes) | $112.90 | $82.90 | $30.00 |
| After Hours Brief Consultation (level A) (Less then 6 minutes) | $63.00 | $33.00 | $30.00 |
| After Hours Standard Consultation (level B) (6 to 19 minutes) | $85.80 | $55.80 | $30.00 |
| After Hours Long Consultation (level C ) (20 to 39 minutes) | $125.70 | $95.70 | $30.00 |
Work Cover and TAC Claims
From July 1, 2023, all work cover and TAC patients will be billed privately at Deer Park Medical Centre. Patients will be required to pay for their medical services directly to DPMC at the time of their appointment or as per the billing arrangements agreed upon.
Note
1.5% Tyro Surcharge fee will apply for all credit card payments.
Payment Terms
Payment is expected at the time of service. We accept cash, credit card, and EFTPOS. We also offer HICAPS, which enables patients to claim their Medicare rebate on the spot. Patients can also opt to receive the Medicare rebate in their bank account within 1-2 working days, provided their banking details are registered with Medicare.
We understand that unexpected medical expenses can be a burden, and we encourage patients who are experiencing financial hardship to discuss payment options with our team.
Conclusion
We believe that our mixed billing policy strikes the right balance between providing affordable healthcare to our patients while also ensuring the sustainability of our practice.
If you have any questions or concerns about our billing policy, please do not hesitate to speak to our friendly reception team.
Non-Attendance or Less than 4-Hour Cancellation Policy
At Deer Park Medical Centre, we understand that sometimes appointments need to be rescheduled or cancelled. However, when a patient does not show up for a scheduled appointment or cancels with less than 4 hours’ notice, it creates an inconvenience for our doctors and staff, and may prevent other patients from receiving timely care. Therefore, we have implemented the following policy for non-attendance or less than 4-hour cancellations:
Non-Attendance: If a patient does not attend a scheduled appointment without any prior notice, a fee of $30 will be charged to the patient's account. This fee will need to be paid before the patient can schedule another appointment.
Less than 4-Hour Cancellation: If a patient cancels an appointment with less than 4 hours' notice, they will be charged a fee of $30. This fee will need to be paid before the patient can schedule another appointment.
We kindly send SMS reminders as a courtesy, but it is important for patients to actively manage their scheduled appointments. Please be aware that not responding to the SMS reminder does not serve as a notice of cancellation.
If you fail to cancel and/or attend more than two consecutive appointments without prior discussion and agreement with your doctor or our reception staff, Deer Park Medical Centre reserves the right to decline further appointment requests at the clinic. In such a scenario, you may be accommodated as a walk-in patient, which could entail a lengthy wait or, in some cases, being unable to be seen at all.
Early cancellations enable us to offer the appointment slot to another patient on the waiting list. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter.
Deer Park Medical Centre has an appointment system that caters to urgent, non-urgent, complex, planned chronic care, and preventative healthcare needs. Urgent appointments are prioritised, and patients should advise the reception if they require an urgent appointment. The nurse on duty triages urgent appointments.
Waiting times may occur if GPs are delayed by patients with urgent or complex issues.
Outstanding Balance Collection and Debt Recovery
At Deer Park Medical Centre, it is our priority to provide exceptional healthcare services to all our patients.
As part of our commitment to financial transparency and sustainability, Deer Park Medical centre has set the procedures for outstanding balance collection and debt recovery.
In the event of unpaid balances, we reserve the right to engage the services of a debt collector, with the associated fees to be borne by the patient.