Medicare & Fees

Medicare & Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy fees are not covered by Medicare; however, some chronic conditions may be subsidised by Medicare and physiotherapy for these can only be approved by your Doctor.

Referral - Out-Patients

A doctor's referral is not necessary to attend this practice as a private out-patient.

Hospital In-Patients Referral

Physiotherapy is available to patients admitted into hospital and on the request of their doctor these referals will be forwarded to us. Of course, if you have a physiotherapist that normally looks after you and would prefer that therapist to treat you whilst you are in hospital, you would need to notify the ward staff prior to any referral being passed onto us.

Accounts, Out of Pocket Expenses & Private Health Fund Rebates

If you belong to a private health fund it is important that you are fully aware of the entitlements of your membership. Downs Physiotherapy accepts no responsibility for the completeness of your private health insurance knowledge and we would strongly recommend that you clarify with your private health insurer exactly what you are covered for.

Some private health funds (eg; MBF& Medibank Private) have established special arrangements with certain hospitals whereby their members, providing they have hospital cover, will have no out of pocket expenses following their stay in hospital (phone, papers etc excluded). Accounts for physiotherapy will be billed directly to and paid by the hospital under these special arrangements. Please check with your health fund and the hospital in to which you will be admitted to see if such arrangements exist.

Where no such arrangements exist, patients will receive an account from us after being discharged from hospital.

THIS ACCOUNT WILL BE SEPARATE TO YOUR HOSPITAL ACCOUNT

Where a health fund does not have an arrangement with the hospital but the patient has private health insurance to cover such extras as physiotherapy, the health insurer will not cover the full amount of our fees. Each health insurer is different in the amount that they will be rebate. Depending on the level of cover that you have chosen with your health fund, a rebate may be claimed from your health fund. Immediate rebates from participating health funds are available via our online HICAPS facility when paying your account.

EFTPOS & Credit card facilities are also available.