In this section:

Direct billing Schedule fee Surgery   General Practitioner (GP)   Prescription medicine   Over the counter medicine

Direct Billing (or “Bulk Billing”)

The medical practitioner sends the bill for your treatment directly to your insurance fund. Few medical practitioners ‘direct bill’ and you usually need to pay ‘up front’ (immediately) for medical treatment and later make a claim from your health insurer.

Schedule Fee

This is a standard fee set by the Government for different types of medical consultation. You may receive 100% of the standard fee if you visit a General Practitioner, and 85% of the schedule fee for other out of hospital medical services such as Specialist services. Some doctors will charge you more than the “schedule fee”, therefore it is important to ask the receptionist or physician ‘Do you charge the schedule fee? Is there a further gap charge?’

Surgery

In Australia, this word commonly means the place where you visit the doctor: the doctor’s office or clinic. ‘Surgery’ also means a procedure, an ‘operation’, performed by the specialist called the surgeon.

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GP – General Practitioner

They are doctors who see patients for a wide variety of illnesses, accidents or treatments. You need to first see a GP to obtain a referral to a “specialist” (eg. Dermatologist, Gynaecologist, Psychiatrist, Cardiologist e.t.c). Unlike some countries where it is necessary to go to a hospital to see a doctor, Australian GP’s usually work from offices (surgeries) or houses in the suburbs, and people generally visit a doctor near to where they live. You are always free to change doctors if you are not comfortable or satisfied.

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Prescription Medicine

These are restricted pharmaceuticals that cannot be bought from a pharmacy/chemist unless a doctor recommends it by completing a special ‘prescription’ on a specific printed form. You then take the form (also called a ‘script’) to the pharmacist, who prepares the medicine and keeps a record.

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‘Over the Counter’ Medicine

These medications may be purchased from a pharmacy, sometimes called a chemist, without a doctor’s prescription. Many common medicines can be found in supermarkets and grocery stores. Some doctors may advise you to get certain ‘over the counter’ medicines, and may even write down the name on a piece of paper, but unless the doctor uses a prescription form, the cost of any ‘over the counter’ medicine cannot be claimed on your health insurance.

Should you need assistance in understanding your medical benefits or in making a claim, contact your OSHC provider or talk to the OSHC representative in the Student Centre. For a more confidential enquiry, discuss your concerns with an International Student Adviser on your campus.

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