Keefo Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Could anybody please tell me if general check ups to the Doctors and visits to A&E at hospital are free for babies/children? If so is it free until the age of 16/18? I've heard that things like immunisations are still free and general baby care. I only ask as we've had visits to the Doctors & A&E in the last week or so in England. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 If you go to emergency department its free. If you go to the doctors here some bulk bill so you do not have to pay, others charge over the top. My doc charges about $60 I think for a consultation and I think its about $36.00 dollars. Our health system is not like the UK. Doctors do not work for the government, they work for themselves. Prescriptions are not free. Immunization is free though. There are a lot of doctors who do bulk bill so best to find a clinic that does this. Specialists do not bulk bill unless a person has a pension card and even then some charge over and above. Medicare levy is deducted from wages here or paid annually by people in business. If you join up with the forum Essential Baby you will find all the information you need about child health. We pick our own doctors they do not have areas and we can change them any time we like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 There are very few Doctors who bulk bill in our area however most do for children under 16. I've never paid for any hospital treatment for anything ever not even operations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefo Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 It was mainly for when they are really young I guess as that's when they seem to be in and out the doctor's the most with one thing or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 If you have a medicare card you should be able to go to emergency if you have to. Bare in mind these are meant to be real emergencies not just as a substitute for going to the GP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 If you have a medicare card you should be able to go to emergency if you have to. Bare in mind these are meant to be real emergencies not just as a substitute for going to the GP. And be prepared for a long wait at emergency often many hours, unless of course if you are seriously ill. CP clinics vary depending on the State you live in. I have found many of the bulk billing clinics have a lot of overseas doctors ( who dont speak good english). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Basically, expect to pay unless it is an emergency trip to A&E but don't go to A&E for something that could be done by a GP. Expect to pay around $30 out of your pocket for a GP visit if you value continuity of care and a doctor who knows your family. Expect to pay up to $36 every time you need a prescription filled and expect to be out of pocket to the tune of $100 if you need to see a specialist. If it costs you less than any of that then think of it as a bonus. It's not the NHS nor is it intended to be but there are safeguards for those on low incomes and benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Where I go they bulk bill and I get to see the doctor of my choice on an ongoing basis. But I still question why everyone expects it to be free. Of course it isn't really free it just means someone else is paying other than you. And if I am referred to a specialist I certainly don't begrudge paying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Basically, expect to pay unless it is an emergency trip to A&E but don't go to A&E for something that could be done by a GP. Expect to pay around $30 out of your pocket for a GP visit if you value continuity of care and a doctor who knows your family. Expect to pay up to $36 every time you need a prescription filled and expect to be out of pocket to the tune of $100 if you need to see a specialist. If it costs you less than any of that then think of it as a bonus. It's not the NHS nor is it intended to be but there are safeguards for those on low incomes and benefits. Two weeks ago I had to see a Cardiologist $245 for 15 minuets I get about $70 back from medicare according to the reception staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefo Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 And be prepared for a long wait at emergency often many hours, unless of course if you are seriously ill. CP clinics vary depending on the State you live in. I have found many of the bulk billing clinics have a lot of overseas doctors ( who dont speak good english). Similar to our hospital in England then lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabri Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 It's true about some doctors being foreigners and hard to understand (I'm a foreigner too), however if you are a good doctor I can get past the fact I need to ask you to repeat. It's funny though, now that I think of it a lot of doctors are foreigner even my dentist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefo Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 My previous post was referring to the long waits in Emergency in England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 My previous post was referring to the long waits in Emergency in England. Our UK A&E has to have you dealt with within 4 hours and we've always had an outcome within that time. That's excellet I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefo Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 We were there with our one year old 2 weeks ago, 5 hours later we were seen by the actual Doctor, this even after our daughter was violently sick whilst checking in at reception. I didn't even know about that 4 hour ruling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Specialists in Australia are free if you go to a public specialist. It is private specialists that charge a fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Specialists in Australia are free if you go to a public specialist. It is private specialists that charge a fee. This is correct but depends on where you live as to how long the wait list is at the public hospital. I have been on one of these lists for 2.5 years and told it would be at least another 18 months so we ended up having to go private. You get rated as to how urgent your case is so people who are more urgent continually push the others down the list. If you live in a major city like Melbourne or Sydney then the wait is less, we sadly live in the country. It also depends on what type of specialist you need to see some have far shorter waiting lists. We have a free bulk bill clinic at our local hospital ( GP is free) where specialist do attend but they also charge just like they do in private practice, but if we drive an hour to Bendigo Health ( another hospital) then the specialist there are free. No blanket rule it seems so best to ask the hospital what there situation is in regards to payment then decide if you are prepared to wait, and if the hospital charges a fee, maybe for a quicker visit to a specialist you may decide to go private. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 I have found it much quicker to go to a clinic rather than A & E.. My daughter needed stitches not long after we arrived and i sat there for a couple of hours. Since then i learnt a lot of the Dr's have smaller clinics attached, ive used these twice now ,Once for stitches and once for tick removal both with my son and ive been in and out within the hour and its still free like A & E. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 I have found it much quicker to go to a clinic rather than A & E.. My daughter needed stitches not long after we arrived and i sat there for a couple of hours. Since then i learnt a lot of the Dr's have smaller clinics attached, ive used these twice now ,Once for stitches and once for tick removal both with my son and ive been in and out within the hour and its still free like A & E. Cal x Hi Cal Yep found that in Qld well around the gold coast mega GP clinics with all sorts of allied services being bulk billed. I really think it is where you live, as I said we are 3 hours from Melbourne and the only free clinic here is at the local hospital, but unless you have a health card card due to lack of income you have to pay for specialist, and things like Xrays, scans and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Tina if you can afford to it is not unreasonable to pay in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Tina if you can afford to it is not unreasonable to pay in my opinion. Agree with that, maybe if those that can pay, were to pay rather than using bulk billing services, there would be more money to provide free medical care for those that cant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Agree with that, maybe if those that can pay, were to pay rather than using bulk billing services, there would be more money to provide free medical care for those that cant. this is generally how it often works out...I've read places like western sydney have 99% of services bulk billed where Canberra it is 50%...I guess the issue with this is that the more people that go private the less political will there is by politicians to maintain a universal health care system when no one they know uses it...then one day it will be gone for all...or extremely sub standard for the less well off. Hard balancing act... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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