West Armidale Medical Centre offers Telehealth appointments which you can attend either from the comfort of your home or in clinic with our friendly reception staff. Consultations can be either by telephone or video consultation. If you do not need to have a physical examination and have had a face to face consultation within the last 12 months, you may choose to have a video or telephone appointment. 
If you have not had a face to face appointment within the last 12 months, the appointment will be billed at the full private fee without any medicare rebate. If you are unsure of your last appointment date, please contact our reception staff.

​

The Medical Centre is a mixed billing practice. Patients under the age of 16, as well as Pension/Health Care Card holders, DVA Gold Card holders and/or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people will be bulk billed under Medicare if booked in for an appointment. All other consultations will be privately charged, and with a valid Medicare card we can claim your rebate for you electronically following your consultation.

 

Please see our fees in the table below:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

*Medicare rebates are an estimate, please be aware this may vary depending on changes to the Medicare rebate scheduled approved by the Commonwealth Government.

​

EMERGENCY APPOINTMENTS

The Medical Centre provides a flexible appointment system which can accommodate patients with urgent, non-urgent, complex, planned and chronic and preventative health care.

​

A scheduled visit is required for practice appointments. 

​

We ask that a long consultation is requested for complex problems, insurance and pre-employment medicals. If there is another family member to be seen please book an additional appointment for them.

​

We have a policy that we will fit in a child on the day if a parent is concerned that the issue is serious. Please make sure that you clearly communicate concerns about young children to our reception staff.

​

Our doctors endeavour to keep to their scheduled appointment times. At times doctors may be delayed. We apologise for this and suggest that you phone ahead of your appointment time and ask the receptionist to check if your appointment will be on time.

 

INTERPRETER SERVICES

The Practice provides a health service that accommodates a diverse multicultural population including those with disability.

Patients are encouraged to use the free Translation and Interpreting Service. This free service is available 24 hours a day via telephone 131 450.

 

Another free interpreting service is available for patients who are deaf and use Australian sign language (AUSLAN). Their contact details are 1800 246 945.

​

REMINDER AND RECALLS

Our Practices are committed to preventative care.  We may issue you a reminder notice from time to time offering you preventative health services appropriate to your care.  If you do not wish to be a part of this system please notify your doctor or reception.

 

NON-ATTENDANCE POLICY

Please note a Non-Attendance Fee of $40 is payable if a patient does not attend their doctor’s appointment or if the appointment is cancelled with less than two hours’ notice.

​

VACCINES, DRESSINGS & PROCEDURAL FEES

For all vaccination and procedural costs please ask one of our friendly receptionists. Your doctor will explain any additional costs to you and obtain your consent prior to receiving treatment.

• Any consultations requiring additional services may be charged a procedural equipment fee of between $10 – $100.

• Travel vaccines will incur a private fee also for the purchase of the vaccine as they are not covered by Medicare.

 

EMPLOYMENT, INSURANCE AND OTHER MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS

Pre-employment medical assessments and other medical assessments are also privately billed. The cost will depend on the length and complexity of the medical assessment. Reception is able to give a price guide, but cost will be determined by the doctor at time of consult.

 

ACCESS TO RECORDS

You will not be charged for making a request to access your records.

 

You will be charged for the cost of processing your request.  We will calculate the charge for access to your personal information based on the amount of work needed to process your request. This may include:

​

WHY DO WE CHARGE A FEE FOR MEDICAL SERVICES?

The quality care that you receive is a product of the dedication and expertise of our staff.

 

Current and previous governments have failed to regularly increase the Medicare rebates to reflect the higher costs of delivering health and medical care in rural and remote communities. This means Medicare rebates have never kept pace with the cost of living and have never covered the true cost of delivering quality medical care in rural and remote communities.

 

These charges ensure that the Medical Centre can guarantee free access to care for members of our communities for whom cost is a barrier to health care, while ensuring that we can continue to provide you and your family with high quality healthcare by ensuring we are able to cover the ever-increasing costs of providing health and medical services to your community.

​

The Hub subsidises your healthcare by setting our fees lower than the current recommended fee schedule set by the Australia Medical Association (AMA).

 

FEE PAYMENT

All fees are due and payable at the time of consultation.  The Medical Centre offers EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard payment options.  The Centre also provides Medicare HICAPS for all rebates. Funds are directly deposited back onto your debit card instantly. Cash is no longer accepted at the Centre.