Fees, Billing and Making a Payment

Pay your bill online via our Commonwealth Bank’s secure BPOINT online payment service, where you will be able to pay your account by either Visa or MasterCard. For online payments you will need the BPOINT Biller Code and Reference Number which can be found at the bottom of the hospital’s account. These details will enable the hospital to correctly identify who has made the payment.

Both public and private patients receive our high quality care and support.

Private patients have greater choice in the doctors they see and may have the option of a single room, however there are costs involved. Public patients will be treated by doctors chosen by the hospital and will be in shared rooms when recovering from surgery.

Anyone can choose to be a private patient. Only people with a Medicare card can be public patients.

Our emergency services are available publicly to everyone.

If you have a Medicare card there is no charge for your assessment at the emergency department. However, you may have to pay for any medication, treatments, tests or appointments that you are referred on to.

If you do not have a Medicare card, fees may apply for all stages of your treatment. Our staff can discuss any potential costs with you.

There may be a waiting list, depending on the treatment you require and the funding options you are eligible for. Our doctors and case co-ordinators can discuss this with you.

Please contact the hospital on (03) 9929 8284 or (03) 9929 8210 to make a payment by Visa or Mastercard.

You can also pay when you arrive at the hospital, before receiving treatment. You can pay by:

• credit card (Visa or Mastercard)
• EFTPOS
• cheque
• money order.

We will refund you if your pre-admission payment is more than the actual cost of your treatment.

Medicines supplied on discharge or on an ED/outpatient/Specialist Clinic prescription incur a fee. If patients provide their concession and Safety Net card details to the admission clerk the cost is reduced.

If you do not pay your outstanding fees or do not agree to a suitable payment plan, you will be contacted by the hospital’s debt collection agency.

The hospital may also advise the relevant government authorities about the debt.

You can choose to be a public patient if you have a Medicare card.

Even if you have private health insurance you can choose to be a public patient.

As a public patient you will:

• be treated by doctors chosen by the hospital
• have access to a range of medical, nursing and health professionals
• not be charged for medical or hospital services, except for discharge medications
• be given follow up appointments after surgery or initial treatments in the hospital’s public outpatient clinics.

As a public patient you will not be able to:

• choose your own doctor
• choose to have a single room.

If the Department of Veterans’ Affairs has agreed to pay for hospital charges for this treatment, please give us your Veterans’ Affairs number so we can submit the claim on your behalf.

Yes. Anyone can choose to be a private patient. However, there are costs you must pay.

What do private patients get?

As a private patient you will:

• be treated by doctors of your choice, if the doctors have the right to treat private patients at the Eye and Ear
• have access to a range of medical, nursing and health professionals
• receive follow up treatment at the private rooms of your treating doctor
• be responsible for the payment to the hospital of accommodation fees, prosthesis fees, pharmacy fees and fees for any other related services
• be responsible for payment of medical specialist fees to the treating doctors, anaesthetists and other clinicians including diagnostic services.

The costs will vary depending on the treatment needed. Please discuss this with your doctor in advance.

You will have to pay:

• a hospital admission and accommodation fee
• for all relevant medication and pharmacy costs
• for all relevant medical and diagnostic costs
• for prostheses, if relevant
• the fees of your selected doctors and all other specialists involved in your care, such as anaesthetists, radiologists or pathologists.

Your doctor will give you an estimate of the costs in advance.

The hospital will also contact you prior to admission to discuss the relevant hospital fees associated with your treatment. You must pay your hospital fees in advance of receiving treatment.

If there are unplanned changes during your treatment, additional costs may apply. The hospital will send you an invoice after your treatment for the extra fees.

Your treatment may be covered by your private health insurance, however this will depend on the type and level of cover you have.

If you have private health insurance:

• Contact us or your private health insurer before your admission to understand what you are covered for and if there will be any out-of-pocket expenses you have to pay.
• Medicare will cover 75 per cent of the Commonwealth Medical Benefits Schedule fee for the medical services provided to private patients while in hospital and private health insurance will cover the remaining 25 per cent of the fee.
• Where a doctor’s fee is more than the Commonwealth Medical Benefits Schedule fee, you will be responsible for paying the difference.

To use your private health insurance cover, you will need to give us:

• your insurance details
• your authority to release a copy of your admitted patient election form to your fund (failure to give this authorisation may result in your health fund refusing to cover your account)
• payment for any excess fees before beginning treatment (if relevant to your health insurance policy).

Agencies like Workcover, Transport Accident Commission (TAC) or Crimes Compensation may cover some patient’s fees.

If this applies to you, you will need to give us:

• the name of the agency or third-party that is providing compensation
• your claim number
• your authority to release any relevant details of your treatment to the third-party, as required.

You can request a single room, but this does not guarantee availability. We will give you a single room if one is available, however please be aware that first priority is given to patients with specific medical or clinical needs.

Single room accommodation rates are higher than shared room rates.

Please be aware that most private health insurance funds have placed a cap on the benefits payable to their members who occupy single rooms in public hospitals. As a result, there may be higher out-of-pocket expenses if you ask for and stay in a single room.

International visitors can get treated at the Eye and Ear, but there may be costs involved.

You can receive free public services if you:

• have a Medicare card
• are on a reciprocal healthcare agreement, or
• have refugee or asylum seeker status.

All other international patients will be charged for all costs. This includes treatment in the emergency department and outpatient clinics.

Fee-paying international patients will need to show us:

• your passport
• contact information during your stay in Australia
• contact information in your home country
• relevant health or travel insurance policy details.

Full payment must be made before your treatment starts. If you have private health insurance, you may be able to claim your hospital expenses. If you have any questions regarding the fees, please call (03) 9929 8211 or (03) 9929 8731.

Fees will vary depending on the type of treatment required.

Some approximate costs are given below. Please note these are examples only and may change at short notice.

For more specific costing information please contact us on (03) 9929 8213.

Inpatient services	Varies. The Eye and Ear uses the Diagnostic Related Group method to calculate charges for patients who are not eligible for Medicare.
Emergency department appointment	$550
Specialist clinic appointment	$350
Allied Health appointment (eg Orthoptists)	$350
Interpreter services (two hours)	$160
Pathology	Varies. Medicare Benefits Schedule Fee payable to an external service provider.
Medical Imaging	Varies. Medicare Benefits Schedule Fee payable to an external service provider.
Pharmacy	Varies. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme rates.

If you are a resident of the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, The Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Norway, Slovenia, Malta* and Italy*, you may be able to access limited subsidised health services for urgent medically necessary treatment.

This only applies to health issues or injuries which occur while you are visiting Australia and that require treatment before you go home. It does not include planned or elective treatment.

You must show us:

• a current passport
• proof of residency from one of the above countries.

Please contact us to organise a time for the relevant documents to be viewed.

*Covered for Medicare for a period of six months from the date of arrival in Australia.

If you are an asylum seeker or refugee you can get free medical care, except for a co-payment for outpatient medications and medications on discharge.

Before starting treatment, you will need to show us:

• documentation from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, or
• documentation from a recognised asylum support agency such as Red Cross or International Health and Medical Services.

If you don’t have the required documents you will have to pay for all medical and associated hospital services. However the fees will be reimbursed once the documents are provided.

Please contact us on (03) 9929 8234 for further assistance.

 

If you elected to be treated as a private patient, your hospital inpatient account is not claimable from Medicare. No discounts on hospital fees apply to private patients who are recipients of pension cards.

As with any medical procedure, if unforeseen circumstances should arise during your treatment it may be necessary to arrange additional services, or use a different or more costly prosthetic device. If this happens you may incur additional costs that were not known at the time you paid your pre-admission payment. If this is the case the hospital will forward you an invoice for any additional charges. If the pre-admission payment exceeds the actual cost of your treatment a refund will be forwarded to you.

If you elect to be treated by a doctor(s) of your choice (even if treated in a public hospital) you will be classified as a private patient and the hospital will charge you accordingly.

Your surgeon should have provided you with written advice as to the costs associated with your treatment. This advice should have included information relating to not only to your doctor’s fees but also the estimated hospital charges. Should you have any queries regarding the information provided to you by your doctor we would suggest you contact them directly.

As with any medical procedure, if unforeseen circumstances should arise during your treatment it may be necessary to arrange additional services, or use a different or more costly prosthetic device. If this happens you may incur additional costs that were not known at the time you paid your pre-admission payment. If this is the case the hospital will forward you an invoice for any additional charges. If the pre-admission payment exceeds the actual cost of your treatment a refund will be forwarded to you.