MEDICARE:
Medicare is a system that covers all Australian residents and some visitors for consultations and some medical procedures with doctors and optometrists.
The Health Insurance Commission (HIC) sets the schedule of fees that optometrists charge for consultations and procedures that Medicare reimburses up to 85%.
To make it easy for you we can make the benefit claim for you and arrange for your refund when you pay your account at the time of consultation.
Eligible pensioners and Health Care Card holders may be bulk billed for some consultations and procedures, within HIC guidelines.
PRIVATE HEALTH FUNDS:
If you have private health fund coverage for ANCILLARIES you should be able to get reimbursement for glasses, (frames and/or lenses), contact lenses and other visual aids*. The level of rebate varies from fund to fund and from table to table within funds.
*Subject to health fund limits, qualifying periods and rules. It pays to check out which health funds suit your needs as there are major differences in rebate and claiming levels.
NO GAP BENEFITS:
For your convenience most funds can be billed electronically from our practice. If you are fully covered there is NO GAP (this will depend on the fund and on the appliances chosen), alternatively the fund pays us your benefit and you only have to pay us the gap between the price of the items and the rebate from the fund. (You will need your membership card to claim).
Most funds operate a claim year from January 1st to December 31st, with annual limits on claims. Some funds allow you to accumulate a percentage of unused benefit to the next year.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN’S AFFAIRS (DVA): Bulk billing and free appliances for eligible veterans.
We support our veterans by providing services and appliances that can be claimed by eligible veterans and their dependants.
Either GOLD or WHITE card allowing optometrical services and appliances on clinical need (Gold) and accepted visual disabilities for the White card. ORANGE card holders do not receive optical benefits.
Consultations are as for Medicare items and are Bulk Billed to the DVA without any co-payment from the card holder. Buying products outside the DVA range incurs a co-payment by the card holder.