Generally, it is slightly complicated to figure out how the medical system works in your country to get the most benefits out of it. Here is a quick and easy guide to bulk billing, and essential things you need to know about it.
What Is A Bulk Billing Doctor?
A bulk billing doctor is a doctor that accepts bulk billing, offering you the best service possible. Bulk billing is a payment option under the Medicare system of universal health insurance where the doctor bills Medicare directly for a medical service that you receive instead of you.
How Does It Work?
To be eligible for bulk billing, you must be enrolled in Medicare and have a Medicare card. It is up to the medical professional to offer you a bulk billed service or not, and in the case you are receiving several services in a single day, it is more likely that you are not offered one.
In this kind of payment, the health professional receives 85–100% of the scheduled bill, which is a list of standard costs of medical services. Despite this, your doctor is free to set another cost for the service that you are being offered, and in this case, you need to pay a gap fee, which always is much lower than what you would typically pay. The payment that the doctor receives is called a Medicare benefit.
Which Are Your Benefits?
Lower cost: You do not have to pay out of your pocket for some medical services such as doctors' and specialists' consultation fees, tests and examinations your doctor orders for you and most surgical procedures. For individuals having complex care needs and chronic conditions, Medicare provides rebates for visits to allied healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, psychologists, dietitians and occupational therapists. If you are a patient with chronic conditions and/or complex care needs, you can claim for only a certain number of visits per year that can be bulk billed.
Faster payments: After receiving health services, all you have to do is swipe your Medicare card and sign a form stating the method of payment you just used.
Time effective: Most of the bulk billing services can be scheduled online, and some of the doctors also answer your questions right then and there, saving you not only money but also time.
All in all, the Medicare system is beneficial for all parties, seeing as how doctors do not have to worry about getting paid and you, on the other hand, receive a better and cheaper medical consultation.
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