estimates and fees
Estimates and Fees
Each anaesthetist having a Service Agreement with East Coast Anaesthetic Practice is an independent practitioner. Staff of East Coast Anaesthetic Practice endeavour to ensure every patient receiving anaesthetic services knows what to expect regarding their anaesthetic fee. Due to current legislation individuals must set their own fees. For this reason, fees between individual anaesthetists do vary slightly. Upon the receipt of patient information for surgery, we prepare an estimate of anaesthetic fees with details of rebates from Medicare, your Health insurance provider and the expected out of pocket costs known as a “gap”.
The fee for your anaesthesia is separate from the fees charged by any other doctors caring for you. It is also separate from the fees charged by the institution – hospital, day surgery facility, endoscopy suite, etc. where the surgery takes place.
Our anaesthetists participate in most of the Private health fund ‘Gap Cover’ or ‘Known Gap’ schemes. This simply means that each Private Health Fund that allows co-payments or gaps will pay their maximum rate to the anaesthetist, thus lowering the co-payment or gap to be charged to the patient. There is a variation in payments by funds due to the different levels of health fund rebates for anaesthetic services.
Your anaesthetic fee will also vary depending on the complexity and duration of the anaesthetic services provided. Variations may include:
- If you have Private Hospital cover, Extras Only, Self-Insured or are an Overseas patient
- If your Private health fund allows co-payments or gaps to be charged under their Gap Cover or Known Gap scheme
- Your procedure type and length of time taken to perform the surgery and anaesthetic
- Your procedure classification – e.g. Cosmetic or general
- Your general health and age
If you are covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, WorkCover or Third Party, fees are set by the Government and you will not have any co-payment or gap.
Please contact our office for any queries regarding the estimates/accounts process of East Coast Anaesthetic Practice. For further information regarding anaesthetic billing procedures and Health insurance rebate click here: