Scans for Babies without Medicare Card

As per prior communication in the newsletter and emails over the past few months.

We have had a few complaints in regards to scans being performed for Babies (whose Medicare cards have not been issued as yet).

We are unable to invoice these scans to Medicare without a valid Medicare card.  Therefore the only options for these scans are:

1. Wait for the card to come through or
2. The patient’s parents/carer pays the private fee.

If option two is selected then the private fee will be charged and the parent/carer will be able to take the invoice to Medicare once they have been issued a Medicare card.  

• HIP = $195
• HIPS = $350

It must be stated to the parent/carer and notes put into patient record that Medicare will not pay the account in full and that there will be a gap i.e. out of pocket expense.

If the parent/carer requests a breakdown then please use the $ sign to quote the approximate gap.  For everyone’s information though :

• Hip - the gap is approx. $100
• Hips - the gap is approx. $220

We need to be VERY VERY clear that they will not get all back from Medicare and that the choice it theirs whether to go ahead with the examination and pay the private fee or wait for the card to come through as we will NOT issue refunds if someone chooses to go ahead with the scan and then decides that they want a refund two months after the scan because they didn’t get a full refund from Medicare.

It is really important to put in notes both at booking time and when patient comes in for scan that this is understood by the patient’s parent/carer.

In addition to aid with explanation and consent that parents/carers understand these procedures – they will need to sign a consent form (see below – similar to the NT and DXA scan patients).  Seniors please print these out on A5 paper and have them readily available for these patients.

The form is available in Practice Docs, Front Desk Folder.