Fees
TCGP Fees from July 1st 2024
We are a Private Billing Clinic.
Our team is committed to providing high-quality care to our patients. Unfortunately, the rising costs of delivering such care are not matched by Medicare rebates. As a result, we charge an out-of-pocket fee for all consultations (unless specified otherwise).
Our doctors’ consultation fees are time-based, meaning they are determined by the actual duration of your appointment rather than the time initially booked. While we strive to address your key concerns thoroughly and safely within the booked time frame, this is not always possible. Our doctors make every effort to inform patients about the length of consultations; however, there are situations where it may not be appropriate to interrupt a consult in order to provide the best possible care.
For all weekend appointments, a $15 surcharge applies to cover our higher operating costs.
Concession card holders² and full-time independent students/Australian apprentices³ are eligible for a discounted rate from 8:30am to 5:00pm on weekdays. Discounted rates are $10.00 less than standard fees. Please notify our team at the time of payment to ensure your discount is applied. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please discuss this with your doctor.
We require payment at the end of your consultation.
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For in-person appointments: We accept EFTPOS cards, Visa/Mastercard (debit or credit), and cash. All cards attract a small surcharge. EFTPOS and Visa/Master debit cards are preferred, as they allow for an instant Medicare rebate back to your card. Rebates cannot be processed onto credit cards.
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For phone and video appointments: As part of the booking process, you will be asked to provide credit card details. After your appointment, the card will be charged based on the length and type of consultation. Medicare rebates will be paid directly to your Medicare-nominated bank account, usually within a few days. All online payments attract a small surcharge.
Fees apply for missed or late appointments.
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If you fail to attend, fail to cancel within 2 hours, or arrive late for your appointment, fees apply. Please refer to our Did Not Attend, Late Cancellations, and Late Arrivals policy below.
Any outstanding clinic fees must be paid before further appointments can be booked. Administrative charges may apply for late payments exceeding one week.
We always strive to do our best, but unintentional omissions may occasionally occur. If you have any concerns, please let us know via our online contact form or by calling our friendly team at 03 9088 3258.
²Concession card holders include Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card and DVA Health Card. Please present your card as proof upon registration as a new patient and upon renewal of the card. Inability to provide proof means you may not be entitled to discounted rates.
³Full-time independent students/Australian apprentices include 16 – 24 years old students/Australian apprentices on Centrelink Youth Allowance. Please present your Centrelink Youth Allowance statement as proof upon registration as a new patient. Inability to provide proof means you may not be entitled to discounted rates.
Face to Face Consultations
* Please note: Discounted rates do not apply before 8.30am and after 5pm on weekdays, and at anytime on Saturdays.
* 1 You must have a current Medicare card to be eligible for your Medicare rebate
A Standard consultation allows the discussion and management of 1 straight forward health issue (excluding mental health), lasting up to 15 minutes. We encourage patients wanting to discuss mental health matters to book a long consultation.
A Long consultation allows the discussion and management of a more complex problem or 2 health issues, lasting between 20 – 30 minutes.
A Prolonged consultation allows a comprehensive assessment and management of a complex problem/s, lasting up to 45 minutes.
We pride ourselves in taking the time to provide thorough clinical assessment and management of your health issues. You may be asked to book another appointment if all your issues cannot be thoroughly covered in your allocated time.
Phone & Video Consultations
Please note that in order to be eligible for the Medicare rebates for a phone or telehealth (video) consult, you must have had a face-to-face consult at our clinic in the last 12 months.
Mental Health Consultations
All mental health matters require a long consult booking, due to their inherent complex nature. These consultations are charged at a different rate based on the Medicare rebate. You will incur out of pocket costs similar to regular consultations.
*Please note that in order to eligible for the Medicare rebates for a "Long 20-40 mins Phone Consult" and "Prolonged 40-<60 mins Phone Consult", you must be registered with our practice through MyMedicare. For instructions on how to register for MyMedicare, please click here.
Skin Checks
Women's Health
For more information on Share Care please see Shared Antenatal Care under Services.
24 hour Holter/BP Monitors
Private Vaccines (Including Travel Vaccines)
* Please note: Prices vary depending on brand availability and adult vs child dose.
* Prices are inclusive of GST. There is no Medicare rebate, however you may be able to claim some of the cost back from your private health cover..
Please note all private immunisation appointments include an additional nurse fee (see below).
If you require a specific vaccine that is not listed above, please call the clinic.
Other Procedures
Nurse Fee for Nurse-Only Appointments
Our nursing team plays an important part in supporting our GPs to provide you with cost-effective, whole-person care. In recognition of the value our nurses provide, a Nurse Fee of $15 + GST will apply for nurse-only consultations (e.g. childhood & travel vaccinations, injections etc) except FLU shots and COVID boosters. Complex nurse appointments (e.g. complex wound management) will incur higher fees depending on the length of your consultation.
The Nurse Fee covers our nurses’ time and does not include any consumables used in the consult. Where applicable, there is a separate Facility Fee to cover the cost of consumables used such as wound dressings etc.
A full list of nurse-only appointments which attract a Nurse Fee is available here.
*There is no Medicare rebate for a Nurse Fee.
**For nurse-only appointments, a brief GP attendance is required for clinical safety reason, and this is bulk-billed. Medicare ruling requires both Nurse Fee and GP fee to be paid upfront and you will receive a 100% rebate back for the GP part. For example, for your nurse-only appointments, you can expect to pay an upfront fee of $36.10 (<6 mins of GP time) with a rebate of $19.60, or $59.35 (6-20 mins of GP time) with a rebate of $42.85. Our GP has a right to charge a private fee if patients choose to consult them about a matter unrelated to the Nurse only appointment.
Repeat Script and Referral Requests
How to order a script or referral request?
1. Online via AutoMed Systems Request Repeat Referrals
2. Online via AutoMed Systems Request Repeat Script
3. Ring our Clinic Reception
How long will my request take?
A non-urgent repeat script or referral request is processed within 5 business days of the request.
An urgent repeat script or referral request is processed within 1 business day of the request.
*These services are for existing patients only and do not cover new referrals which have not been discussed with your doctor. You must have had a consult at our clinic within the past 6 months to request a repeat referral. Please note that we cannot backdate referrals because it is illegal to do so.
**If you call up to change your request from non-urgent to urgent, you will be charged the difference in fees. Restrictions apply to some medications (e.g. schedule 8 and schedule 4 medications) where a consultation will be required to provide the scripts. Fees will be higher over the festive period when the clinic is shut between Christmas and New Year.
Did Not Attend, Late Cancellation & Late Arrivals Policy
* DNA Short refers to 15-minute appointments, whereas DNA Long refers to 30-minute appointments or longer.
Depending on the circumstances and your GP/nurse's discretion, you may incur a fee if you do not attend your appointment, fail to cancel your appointment at least 2 hours prior to your appointment or run late beyond a certain time for your appointment.
For more information, please read our Failure to Attend your Appointment (Including Late Cancellation) and Running Late for your Appointment Policy.
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Fee Increase 1 July 2024 - Letter to Patients
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What should I do if my billing appears incorrect?Unintentional slips sometimes happen in a busy General Practice. We encourage you to communicate any concerns you may have about your fees by calling the clinic or completing an online form on our website, and we will attend promptly to resolve your concern. Please be aware that some billing issues may unfortunately be out of our control and may require you to call Medicare to resolve the issue.
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What is my responsibility in checking the costs related to my consult?Booking the appointment implies you are aware of the fees to be charged. These apply especially for procedures and private vaccines. It is your responsibility to check the fees and your eligibility to claim Medicare rebates for Mental Health Care Plans and Chronic Disease Management Plans when booking an appointment. Your GP and nurse would usually go through this with you when advising you to book the consult.
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Can I book another appointment if I have an outstanding bill?If you (or your dependants) have an outstanding payment, we are unable to book another appointment for you or your dependants until this payment is settled. Administrative charges may apply for late payments exceeding one week.
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What happens if I run late or fail to attend my appointment?It is our standard policy that fees apply if you do not attend your appointment, fail to cancel your appointment at least 2 hours prior, or run late beyond a certain time for your appointment. You are welcome to pass on a message to your GP in exceptional, unavoidable circumstances.
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If my GP bulk-bills me or my dependants, can I expect the same from all the GPs at the clinic?If your regular GP bulk-bills or charges you a discounted fee at their discretion, this may not apply when you see another GP at the clinic. We do not routinely bulk-bill.
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Is it safe to provide my credit card details to book appointments?Yes. Patients must enter their card details to secure bookings for all new patient, infectious and telehealth appointments. Your card is securely tokenised and will only be debited according to the schedule fee (if applicable) once the consultation is completed. Our staff will always gain your consent to store your card details for future transactions.
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With all the scams around, I do not feel comfortable paying over the phone or using the secure link in the SMS. Can I settle my invoice by another payment method?If you do not feel comfortable paying over the phone or using the secure link provided, please let our reception team know to organise an in-person payment. We are unable to accept bank transfers because of the significant administrative cost associated with this process. If you want to pay by cash, you must provide the exact change. We do not keep cash at our clinic.
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What are your Weekend Fees?Full private fees plus a surcharge of $15 apply on weekends. Bulk-billing and discounted rates do not apply during weekend appointments.
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Do you routinely bulk-bill?No, we are a private-billing clinic. Please refer to “Medicare has failed bulk-billing” on why we do not routinely bulk-bill.
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Are results follow-up appointments and repeat scripts/referrals bulk-billed?We do not routinely bulk-bill appointments for results discussion or scripts/referrals.
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Do you bulk-bill aged pensioners/healthcare card holders/concession card holders/full-time students?No, we do not routinely bulk-bill aged pensioners/healthcare card holders/concession card holders/full-time students. We provide a discounted rate for this group of patients. Your pensioner or concession card, or student ID, must be up to date to be eligible for this discount.
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I have a follow up or review consultation booked with my doctor. Is this bulk-billed?No, this is not routinely bulk-billed.
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If my doctor runs late, will I be bulk-billed?No, you will not be bulk-billed.
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How does your clinic manage payment for Worksafe and TAC consults? Do I have to pay for my consultation/s?All Worksafe and TAC consults require upfront payment. Worksafe and TAC consults may incur an out-of-pocket fee. It is then the patients’ responsibility to claim TAC and Workcover compensation. We will provide you the invoice to claim back from Worksafe and TAC.
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What is a facility fee?Facility fees cover consumables, instrument sterilising and dressings. These may be charged from $5-$55 depending on the complexity of the procedure. The facility fee is payable at the time of the procedure.
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How can I save time and money on my GP visits?Register for Medicare Safety Nets. When you spend over a certain amount in a calendar year, Medicare will give you a higher amount back.- Update your concession card details, including expiry date, to be eligible for our discounted rates. Please advise your details in writing via email or online form or show our Reception Team your card next time you attend the clinic. Register for My Health Record. An active My Health Record will allow us to check your eligibility for bulk-billed items such as Chronic disease management plans and Health Checks, and ensure you are eligible to receive Medicare rebates for high value items such as Mental Health Treatment Plans. You can choose which health conditions to upload onto My Health Record – please discuss with your regular GP. Register for MyMedicare. With MyMedicare, you will be able to nominate our clinic as your regular General Practice to enable Medicare rebates for longer phone consults and bulkbilled Chronic disease management items. Renew existing prescriptions and referrals online via our website. Restrictions apply to ensure we do not compromise safe clinical care – please read carefully before submitting your renewal requests. Download our free clinic app to ensure you can manage your appointments efficiently to avoid missed appointments and fees for non-attendance.
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I need my doctor to complete an insurance, medical or Centrelink report, what is the fee to complete this?Insurance and medical reports are charged based on the duration required to complete the report and do not attract a Medicare rebate. Centrelink forms require an appointment with your GP to complete. Please enquire with your doctor or reception.
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Why are the charges on my debit card and credit card higher than the quoted fees?Charges on your debit and credit card will always appear slightly higher due to surcharges imposed by the financial institution providing the convenience of these transactions. These surcharges may vary from time to time.
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I have booked a standard 15-minute appointment but my GP has charged me a long 30-minute appointment. Why did this happen?Our doctors’ consultation fees are time-based, meaning they are determined by the actual duration of your appointment rather than the time you initially booked. While we do our best to address your key concerns thoroughly and safely within the time you have booked, this is not always possible. Our doctors make every effort to keep patients informed about the length of their consultations. However, there are situations where it may not be appropriate to interrupt a consult in order to provide the best possible care. Please drop us a message on our contact form or call us on 03 9088 3258 if you have any concerns.
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I need to see a doctor today. What should I do?If you can book online at thecranegp.com.au, please try this first. If you cannot find any appointments online, please call the clinic at 90883258. We have a limited number of appointments available to deal with emergencies on the day which do not show up online. These are booked on a first come, first serve basis and may not be with your regular doctor. We strongly advise that you call us as soon as possible. The later you leave it, the less likely we can accommodate your needs. There may be times where all our doctors are fully booked and it is unsafe to fit any more patients in for the day. If this is the case, our receptionists will advise you to attend another clinic or the Emergency department, and they can email you your health summary if needed.
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I need to talk to my doctor today. Can they call me back today?You will need to book a phone appointment (fees apply). If your doctor is fully booked on that day or is away, we can send a message to your doctor but this does not guarantee that they can call you back on the same day. Our doctors have appointments booked throughout the day without any breaks, except for lunch. They usually start consulting at 8.30am and finish at 5.30pm. Outside of these hours, they have non-work-related commitments and cannot be expected to ‘stay back’ to call you.
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I want an appointment with my regular doctor today. Is this possible?Where possible, we will always try to book complex patients in with their regular doctor. We cannot guarantee that you can consult with your regular GP on the same day, but we can pass the message on to your doctor and let you know. Our doctors communicate with each other regularly and maintain thorough clinical notes so rest assure that any doctor in our clinic will have your full medical history and clinical notes to provide you with a thorough consultation. Where another doctor in our clinic provides you with a specialist referral for chronic conditions, the specialist will be advised to re-direct letters back to your regular doctor.
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I need to see a doctor after hours. Who should I contact?You can contact 13SICK (13 7425) National Home Doctor Service or attend your nearest Emergency Department. You may also like to consider emergency after hours telehealth providers such as: - Healthdirect - MyEmergency Doctor - KidsDocOnCall (subscription required) - Cub Care Urgent Paediatric Consults
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I have not received any appointment reminders for my upcoming appointment. Should I be worried?You will usually receive a text message to remind you about your upcoming appointment 2 days prior. There are a few reasons why you may not have received this reminder: - you have provided an incorrect mobile number - you do not have a mobile number registered in our system - you have chosen not to receive any text messages from our system - you do not actually have an appointment This is an issue, especially if you have booked a phone appointment. Please ensure you call our reception team to clarify this and confirm your appointment.
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I have just received a text message about booking a NON-URGENT appointment to discuss my results. I am very anxious and I want an appointment today. What should I do?Please refer to: I need to see a doctor today. What should I do?
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I am frustrated that my doctor is always running late. What can I do to reduce my waiting time?At times, there can be unexpected emergencies, relating to a physical or mental health issue for a patient, which may take your doctor a longer time to resolve. Our receptionists will always try their best to inform you by text message or phone call if your doctor is running more than 30 minutes late. Sometimes, this may not happen if our receptionists are inundated with phone calls and administrative work. There are some pro-active steps you can take to reduce your waiting time: - please call the clinic ahead of time to check if your doctor is running late. We can always re-schedule your appointment if necessary. - where possible, please allow about 30 – 60 minutes leeway in your schedule when booking your appointment - please attend your appointment on time – if you are late, your appointment will be shortened or cancelled (fees may apply) to prevent your doctor from running late for their next patient - please respect your appointment duration with your doctor. A Standard 15-minute appointment can usually only cover ONE issue, allowing for history taking, physical examination, discussion of the management plan and paperwork time to complete scripts and referrals. A Long 30-minute appointment can usually cover TWO issues, and a Prolonged 45-minute appointment THREE issues. You are advised to present your list of issues to your doctor at the start of the appointment to negotiate the agenda and how much time is required. You may be required to book another appointment to follow up on the rest of your issues to prevent your doctor from running late for their next patient.
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My doctor is fully booked for the next few weeks. Can I put myself on a cancellation list to try for an earlier appointment?Yes, you can do this by calling our receptionist. We endeavour to keep our waiting times for non-urgent appointments within 2-3 weeks but sometimes this may not be possible when our doctors are on leave.
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My child is booked in for an immunisation appointment with the nurse. Can I ask the nurse and doctor for clinical advice unrelated to the immunisation during this appointment?Immunisation appointments are booked with the nurse only and your doctor will greet you briefly to check that the vaccine/s are correct. Our nurse will routinely measure your child’s weight at ages 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 4 years old. There will not be enough time for your doctor or nurse to provide you with clinical advice unrelated to the immunisation. You will need to book a separate appointment for this.
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Can I please see the Nurse about my urgent medical issue so she can discuss this with my doctor?No, this is not safe. Our nurses are not trained to diagnose and manage a medical issue. If you cannot get an appointment with any of our doctors, it means they are fully booked and do not have time for another consultation, even if it was with the Nurse.
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Does your clinic see any walk-in patients?Only if we have appointments with our doctors. Otherwise, we will refer you elsewhere.
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I require a fitness to drive assessment (Vicroads, Commercial driving etc) with my doctor. Do I have to book specifically for this and is there a fee?Yes. You are required to book a specific “Fitness to Drive Assessment” appointment which includes seeing the nurse first for 15 minutes, followed by 30 minutes with your doctor. The same process applies for a renewal of your existing fitness to drive recommendation. Please bring along any relevant paperwork. Please do not hand this to your doctor during a regular appointment and expect your doctor to complete it at their own time. These assessments are privately billed and may not always attract a Medicare rebate, so please check with your doctor before booking.
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I require my doctor to complete my application for an accessible/disabled car park permit. Do I need an appointment?Yes, please book a 15-minute appointment with your doctor to complete this. Unfortunately, our doctors do not have time to complete this without an appointment. Please ensure you have completed your part first and bring along your Reference number or application form.
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I require a Medical assessment for work. Do I have to book specifically for this and is there a fee?Yes. You are required to book a specific “Work-related Medical Assessment” appointment which includes seeing the nurse first for 15 minutes, followed by 30 minutes with your doctor. Please bring along any relevant paperwork. These assessments are privately billed and do not attract a Medicare rebate. You will have to pay upfront and pass the invoice on to your employer if you want to claim from them.
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I need my doctor to complete paperwork for Centrelink. Do I need an appointment? Is there a fee?Yes, you need an appointment with your doctor. The fees will depend on the length of your consultation or any arrangements you make with the doctor.
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I need my doctor to complete paperwork to facilitate an insurance related matter (ie application, claim). Do I need an appointment? Is there a fee?Yes, you need an appointment to discuss this with your doctor. Please ensure you email the relevant paperwork to admin@thecranegp.com.au at least 2 days before your appointment. Please be aware that you may not always get the full Medicare rebate for the time spent completing this paperwork and you will incur a fee based on the amount of time your doctor spends on it. We do not bulk-bill these appointments.
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I would like my doctor to complete an NDIS application. Do I need an appointment? Is there a fee?Yes, you need an appointment to discuss this with your doctor. Please ensure you email the relevant paperwork to admin@thecranegp.com.au at least 2 days before your appointment. Please be aware that you may not always get the full medicare rebate for the time spent on completing this paperwork and you will incur a fee based on the amount of time your doctor spends on it. We do not bulk-bill these appointments but you are welcomed to discuss with your doctor if you have financial difficulties.
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I have a Workcover claim and I require paperwork to be completed. Do I need an appointment?If you require a Workcover medical certificate or scripts/referrals related to your Workcover claim, yes, you will need an appointment. Please note that Workcover does not pay for any scripts/referrals outside of the consultation and you will have to cover the cost yourself. If Workcover requires a medical report to be completed for your claim, they will usually email or fax a request to your doctor. We will invoice accordingly and once paid by Workcover, we will submit the report.
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I am a New Patient. Why do I need to provide my credit card details to secure an appointment?At our clinic, we require new patients to provide credit card details to secure an appointment due to a significant number of missed appointments (Did Not Attends or DNAs) in the past. When a patient does not show up or cancels late, it impacts our ability to provide timely care to other patients who may be waiting for an appointment. By securing your appointment with credit card details, we can ensure a more efficient scheduling process and uphold fairness to all patients. If you fail to attend, cancel with less than 2 hours’ notice, or arrive too late to be seen, the card provided will be charged a fee in accordance with our Did Not Attend, Late Cancellation & Late Arrivals Policy. We value alignment with our patients, including mutual respect for clinic policies that allow us to deliver high-quality care. This approach ensures we can operate sustainably while maintaining our commitment to thorough, patient-centered care.
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I have just booked an appointment. Do I get a confirmation text message?You should always get a confirmation text message within a few minutes of booking your appointment online or over the phone with our receptionists. We encourage you to download the free clinic app AMS Connect via your app store and follow the prompts. This app will display all your appointments and allow you to make changes. You can also include your family members and manage their appointments under the same app. You may not get a confirmation text message if your doctor or nurse booked your next appointment during your consultation. You can call our receptionists or check your app to confirm this.
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I have received a text message asking me to book an appointment with my doctor AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. How long can this wait?This means you have an URGENT abnormal result which requires discussion with your doctor, usually within 1-2 days. Our nurse will call you to ensure you are booked in accordingly if you have not done so.
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I have received a text message asking me to book a NON-URGENT appointment to discuss my results. How long can this wait?Please book an appointment within 1-2 weeks of receiving this text message. It is reasonable for your appointment to take place within 4 weeks of receiving this text message.
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Do I have to reply to the Appointment Reminder text message prior to my upcoming appointment?Yes. You will be sent a second reminder text message 24 hours later if you do not reply. Failure to reply before the day of your appointment may result in the cancellation of your appointment (fees apply). For some higher value appointments (eg. long appointments, procedures etc), you may receive a phone call to confirm your appointment if you fail to reply by text.
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Can I leave a voice message on the clinic phone after hours?No. Please call us back during business hours or send us an email at admin@thecranegp.com.au.
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Can I email my doctor or nurse?No, we do not encourage this unless a prior arrangement has been made with your doctor or nurse. Email is not a safe platform for timely clinical communication or appointment booking, and our emails are not constantly monitored. If you have a matter to discuss with your doctor or nurse, please book an appointment. If you still choose to email your doctor or nurse, please be aware that they are not obliged to reply.
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Can I book/reschedule/cancel my appointment by sending an email or completing the online form on your clinic website?We do not encourage this because email is not a suitable platform for time dependant matters such as appointment bookings. Our emails and online forms are not constantly monitored and it may take up to 3 business days for us to respond. We encourage you to download the free clinic app AMS Connect via your app store and follow the prompts. This app will display all your appointments and allow you to make changes. You can also include your family members and manage their appointments under the same app. You can also manage your appointments at http://ams.2.vu/TCGPMMyAppt If you cannot change your appointment online, please call the clinic.
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Is there someone I can speak to, to escalate a matter, to provide constructive feedback or to make a complaint?Yes, you can call the clinic and ask to speak with our Practice Manager.
Request for Transfer of Medical Records to a New Clinic
We are committed to the smooth transfer of care from our practice to your next clinic. Patients must initiate the transfer process by contacting their new clinic to send us a signed request form.
For more information, please read our Transfer of Care Policy.
Surcharges
Please note that surcharges apply to all payments made by eftpos card and VISA/Mastercard (debit and credit cards).
Online Payments
Online payments currently attract a surcharge of 1.65% and a transaction flat fee of $0.35. These surcharges may vary from time to time.
In-Person Payments
eftpos card: 1.5%
VISA debit/credit card: 1.5%
Mastercard debit /credit card: 1.5%
These surcharges may vary from time to time.