The fees involved

Medicare and health fund rebates generally do not cover the full costs of private practitioner fees. For most procedures there will be an "out of pocket" expense or "gap" which you will be required to pay.

Anaesthetic fees are made of item numbers reflecting the pre-anaesthetic consultation, the anaesthesia required for your particular procedure, the time taken from the start to the finish of your anaesthesia and any extra items related to your condition. Each doctor sets their own fees and billing policies and it is important that you ensure you understand the costs involved.

For insured patients generally there are two ways in which your account may be issued depending on the level of your insurance cover and the policies of your health fund:

• We will issue you an account for the total fee for which you will be able to claim a rebate through Medicare and your health fund, if eligible. In general the rebates will total 100% of the Medicare Benefit Schedule. We can claim these rebates for you if convenient.
• We will invoice your health fund for the total rebate, including Medicare and you will receive an account for your co-payment only (or "out of pocket"). This method will ensure you receive the highest level of rebate, well over that of the standard Medicare Benefit Schedule, and is our preferred method of billing. Some health funds do not allow this type of billing and will result in the first method being used.

For uninsured patients the account will be invoiced directly to you. We can claim the Medicare rebate for your convenience. Many doctors prefer to receive payment of these accounts prior to the procedure being undertaken. If this is the case you will be contacted to organise this.

Our responsibilities

• to inform you, where possible, of the fees prior to your procedure.
• to ensure that you understand the fees and charges.
• to issue your account in a timely manner.
• comply with the HIC billing requirements.

Your responsibilities

• to ensure you understand the fees and ask questions where further explanation is required.
• acknowledge your acceptance of the fees.
• ensure your account is paid within the required time.

Where time permits and your anaesthetist has organised this, you will receive information which introduces your anaesthetist and details the likely fees for your procedure. You can also talk to your surgeon's office or contact us directly.

We encourage you to register your details with us so that fee information can be provided at the earliest opportunity.