Optometrists may be forced to stop bulk-billing after cuts - Clarence Valley Daily Examiner

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Optometrists may be forced to stop bulk-billing after cuts
Clarence Valley Daily Examiner
OPTOMETRISTS are under financial pressure to stop bulk billing patients following the Federal Government's 5% cut to the Medicare rebate that took effect on January 1. Grafton optometrist Bradley Deece said the cut followed a two-year freeze on rebates.


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[Michael I. Davis]

Ah this is Australia. I wondered what bulk billing was.

 

[Greg Gemoules]

Seems to imply third party billing.

What is bulk billing?

Bulk Billing is when a provider bills Medicare directly for any medical or allied health service that the patient receives.

Where a provider and a patient enter into a bulk billing arrangement, the:

• Provider accepts the relevant Medicare benefit as full payment for the service, and
• Patient assigns their right to a Medicare benefit to the servicing provider, allowing the benefit to be paid directly to the payee provider

If a practitioner bulk bills for a service, the practitioner undertakes to accept the relevant Medicare benefit as full payment for the service. Additional charges for that service cannot be raised.

You must lodge a claim for assigned benefits in accordance with the approved forms and within a period of up to two years from the date of service.