Bulk bill
Invoice and pay-patient claim
Bulk bill
The patient pays nothing and Medicare pays the rebate directly to you. You accept the rebate as full payment, so you cannot charge the patient anything more for the service.
Before you lodge, the patient must agree to assign their Medicare benefit to you. Keep a record of that agreement for two years, as Services Australia can ask to see it.
- Get the patient’s consent to assign their Medicare benefit.
- Capture the patient and service in the FreshClaim app as a bulk-billed claim.
- Confirm the declaration that consent was obtained, then send.
- FreshClaim lodges the claim with Medicare, and Medicare pays the rebate into your account.
Invoice the patient, then lodge a pay-patient claim
The patient pays your fee, and FreshClaim then claims the Medicare rebate on their behalf. Medicare pays the rebate into the patient’s own bank account.
No bulk-bill consent is needed, because the patient keeps their Medicare benefit. You set your own fee. As with any out-of-pocket fee, tell the patient your fee and their expected rebate when they book, as informed financial consent expects.
- Capture the patient and service in the FreshClaim app as a patient invoice, or email the details to us.
- FreshClaim sends the patient an invoice for your fee.
- Once the invoice is paid, FreshClaim lodges a pay-patient claim with Medicare.
- Medicare pays the rebate into the patient’s bank account. The patient needs their bank details registered with Medicare, through myGov or the Express Plus Medicare app.
For example, with a fee of $150 and a schedule fee of $100, the patient pays $150 and Medicare refunds them $85. Their out-of-pocket cost is $65.
Which option to use
Bulk bill when you want the patient to pay nothing. Invoice when your fee is more than the rebate.
| Bulk bill | Invoice and pay-patient claim | |
|---|---|---|
| Patient pays | Nothing | Your fee, then gets the rebate back |
| Medicare rebate (85%) goes to | You | The patient’s bank account |
| Your fee | The rebate, as full payment | You set it |
| Consent to assign benefit | Required before lodging | Not needed |
| FreshClaim’s fee | 2.85% + GST of the rebate | 5% + GST of what the patient pays |
What FreshClaim charges
Bulk bill
2.85% + GST
Charged on the Medicare rebate paid to you. On an $85 rebate, the fee is $2.42 plus GST.
Invoice and pay-patient claim
5% + GST
Charged on what the patient pays you, with the pay-patient claim included. On a $150 invoice, the fee is $7.50 plus GST.
The fee is charged only on what is paid, and invoiced monthly in arrears. Medicare pays bulk-billed rebates directly to you. Patient payments go through our trust account and are transferred to you in full.