Fees & Payment
At WestsideENT, we are committed to financial transparency. Our fees are set at or below the recommended AMA rate.
Consultation Fees
Our receptionist will provide you with the consultation fee when you make your appointment. There may be extra fees for in-room procedures carried out during the consultation such as cleaning the ears using a microscope or fibre-optic examination of the nose or throat.
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Payment for the consultation is required on the day. You may pay the fee via EFTPOS, credit card (Mastercard or Visa) or cash. In most cases once payment is complete, we can electronically submit a rebate claim on your behalf to Medicare.
Surgery fees & charges
As part of informed financial consent, our receptionist will provide you with a quote for the expected fee for your surgery. Medicare and your private health fund will pay a proportion of the fee for your surgery.
The difference between the surgical fee and the combined amount of the Medicare rebate and the benefit your health fund pays is the out of pocket cost or gap.
Health Fund
It is essential that you check with your Health Fund to ensure you are covered for the planned procedure. Failure to do so may lead to cancellation of your surgery or the full cost of the hospital treatment becoming your responsibility.
Anaesthesia Services
You will be provided with the contact details of your anaesthetist when surgery is scheduled. Please contact them prior to the day of the operation to obtain a quote or if you have any questions regarding your upcoming anaesthetic.
Why is there a gap?
The cost of providing safe, patient-focused, and exceptional medical care continues to rise. The key factors that increase the cost of providing healthcare include the consumer price index and more specific costs such as insurance costs, consumables, equipment, etc. Unfortunately, the government's contribution via Medicare rebates to the cost of health care has not kept up with the actual costs of providing quality healthcare.
It is estimated by the AMA (Australian Medical Association) that Medicare fees have increased to meet only two-thirds of the actual cost increases over the last 25 years.
To put it more simply there are gap fees charged because Medicare rebates have not kept up with the cost of living for nearly 30 years. This is creating an ever-increasing gap between what it costs to provide quality healthcare and the rebates provided by Medicare.