Medical costs

Medicare

Medicare covers all or part of the costs of some medical services, including:

• doctor or specialist appointments
• tests and scans
• most surgery and procedures by a doctor
• eye tests by optometrists.

Check with your doctor or health provider if they bulk bill. If they do, it means you do not have to pay for the appointment. 

If they do not bulk bill, you can ask in advance: 

• how much the appointment will cost
• how much you'll get back from Medicare.

Medicare Safety Nets can also help to keep some of your medical costs down. You get back more from Medicare if you spend over a certain amount in a calendar year on:

• doctor or specialist appointments
• some tests and scans.

Learn more about Medicare Safety Nets at Services Australia.

Medication

You can get cheaper medicine if:

• it's on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Learn more about the PBS at Services Australia
• you have a concession or health care card. Find out if you can get one at Services Australia
• you spend a certain amount on PBS medicine in a year and reach the PBS Safety Net. Find out more about the PBS Safety Net at Services Australia.

Medical equipment

You may be able to get help with the cost of buying and running medical equipment.

For aids, equipment and rehabilitation appliances, you can get help:

• from EnableNSW
• for veterans from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
• for managing incontinence from Services Australia.

For the cost of running medical equipment, you may be able to get help from:

• Services Australia with a yearly payment to cover energy costs to run essential medical equipment
• Service NSW with an energy rebate for the cost of running life support equipment for retail customers (you get a bill from the energy company) or for on supply customers (you get a bill or invoice from the strata manager or community/village operator)
• Service NSW with an energy rebate for your energy costs if there's a medical reason you cannot self-regulate your body temperature for retails customers (you get a bill from the energy company) or on supply customers (you get a bill or invoice from the strata manager or community/village operator).

Private health insurance

You may be covered for hospital, rehabilitation and medical costs not covered by Medicare if you have private health insurance. You will also usually:

• have shorter waiting periods
• get your choice of doctor.

Contact your private health insurance company before having treatment to check if it's covered.

Learn more about private health cover at the Department of Health and Aged Care.