Practice Fees & Bulk Billing

Medicare Bulk Billing from Sunday, 1 November 2026

We are proud to announce that from Sunday, 1 November 2026, Colchester Medical Centre is transitioning to a Medicare Bulk Billing Practice.

Our commitment has always been to provide high-quality, accessible and compassionate healthcare to our community. By participating in the Australian Government's Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP), we are helping to keep essential everyday medical care accessible to all eligible Medicare cardholders, with no out-of-pocket consultation fees for eligible GP services.

What does this mean for you?

From 1 November 2026, all eligible general practice services will be 100% bulk-billed for every patient with a valid Medicare card, regardless of age or concession status. These include:

• Standard and long GP consultations: in-person consultations and Medicare-eligible telehealth consultations for routine check-ups, acute illness and preventive care.
• Chronic condition management: GP Chronic Condition Management Plans and reviews for eligible patients. These plans have replaced new GP Management Plans (GPMPs) and Team Care Arrangements (TCAs).
• Mental health care: Medicare-eligible Mental Health Treatment Plans and structured reviews.
• Preventive health: Medicare-eligible comprehensive health assessments and routine antenatal care.

Please bring your physical or digital Medicare card to your appointments.

Telehealth and Medicare eligibility

Bulk billing applies where you and the service meet Medicare's eligibility requirements. Telehealth eligibility depends on the type of consultation and your circumstances; MyMedicare registration may be required for some services. Please check with reception when booking.

What is bulk billing?

Bulk billing means that your doctor accepts the Medicare benefit as full payment for the service. You assign your Medicare benefit to the doctor and do not pay a consultation gap for that bulk-billed service. Reception will help you complete the required consent process. See our Home page information about Assignment of Benefit.

What services incur separate fees?

Some services fall outside the scope of this program. Please ask about any applicable fees when booking; costs will be explained before you proceed.

Co-located allied health providers

Our co-located allied health professionals, including physiotherapy, podiatry, psychology and dietitian services, operate as independent practitioners and set their own fees. Medicare rebates may apply under an eligible GP referral or care plan, but private consultation or gap fees may still be payable. Please confirm fees directly with the provider.

Procedures, medications and consumables

Please discuss costs with your doctor before booking procedures such as intravenous iron infusions, minor skin excisions or biopsies, and wound care. Billing depends on the service and the applicable Medicare item. A procedure outside the BBPIP eligible-services list may be privately billed, with a Medicare rebate where applicable; any private fee will be explained in advance.

There is no additional facility, booking or consumable fee for a bulk-billed service. Necessary dressings, surgical kits and other consumables used to provide that service cannot be charged separately. An iron infusion billed under an eligible GP attendance item will be bulk-billed without an additional procedure or facility fee. If you need to obtain a prescribed medicine from a pharmacy before treatment, please ask about any medicine costs.

Non-Medicare services and vaccines

Services that are not covered by Medicare, such as commercial driver's licence medicals, pre-employment assessments and travel vaccinations, continue to attract private fees. Patients without Medicare eligibility will also be privately billed. Please contact reception for a quote.

Vaccines not funded by a government program or available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme may attract a separate vaccine supply charge where Medicare rules permit. An eligible GP consultation associated with vaccination will be bulk-billed. Please ask which vaccines are funded for you and what any privately supplied vaccine will cost.

WorkCover and TAC

WorkCover and TAC services continue to be billed under the applicable compensation arrangements. Please provide your claim details when booking.

Missed appointments and other administrative services

Please give at least two hours' notice if you need to cancel an appointment, including telehealth. Missed appointments may attract a fee, which is not covered by Medicare. See our no-show policy and ask reception about the applicable charge.

Separate administrative services, such as transferring medical records, may attract a fee. Reception can confirm any charge before you request the service. These are not additional charges for a bulk-billed consultation.

Supporting accessible general practice

Government support through the BBPIP helps us continue to provide comprehensive general practice care while removing consultation gap fees for eligible services. Thank you for your continued support as we make this transition. If you have questions about eligibility, a procedure or a private service, please speak with our reception team or your doctor.