GPs & Medical Centres

What a GP consultation covers

A standard consultation can cover a new symptom, a repeat prescription, a referral, a work or travel medical certificate, vaccination, or a review of an existing condition — often several of these in one visit. Longer consultations exist for more complex needs: a mental health treatment plan, a chronic disease management plan, or a multi-system review for someone on several medications. If you know a visit will need extra time, say so when booking rather than discovering it mid-appointment.

Bulk billing and cost

Bulk billing means the clinic accepts the Medicare rebate as full payment, so you pay nothing at the time of the visit. Not all clinics bulk bill everyone; some bulk bill concession card holders and children while charging others a gap. Bulk-billing rates and policies vary a great deal between practices and between areas, so it is worth asking directly when you book rather than assuming. Telehealth (phone or video) consultations with a GP you have an existing relationship with can also attract a Medicare rebate under current rules.

Referrals and management plans

A referral from your GP to a specialist is what allows you to claim a Medicare rebate for that specialist visit — it lasts 12 months by default, longer or indefinitely if your GP judges the condition needs ongoing specialist care. If you have a chronic condition, your GP can also prepare a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, which unlocks Medicare-rebated visits to allied health providers such as physiotherapists, podiatrists and dietitians — up to 5 individual services per calendar year (10 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients), and the plan needs review within 18 months to keep accessing them.

Choosing a GP

A GP you see repeatedly builds a record of what has and hasn’t worked for you, which matters for anything ongoing. If you’re new to an area, ask whether the clinic is taking new patients and whether you can request the same doctor each visit — some larger clinics roster generalist GPs without letting you choose. After-hours and walk-in clinics are useful for one-off problems but don’t replace having a regular GP for continuity of care.

Questions worth asking

• Do you bulk bill, and does that depend on the type of visit?
• Can I book with the same GP each time?
• Do you offer telehealth appointments?
• How do I get a copy of my results or management plan?
• What are your after-hours arrangements?