General Policy
We bulk bill all Medicare eligible treatments including Xray. Bulk billing means no gap payment and no unexpected out of pocket expense. Where a scan is not Medicare eligible, payment will be required at the time of your appointment.
Appointments usually covered by Medicare include:
- Most diagnostic X-rays, CT scans, Ultrasound scans, where referred by a GP
- Some MRI scans, where referred by a GP (please see list further below)
- Interventional Pain Treatments, where referred by a GP
- Some treatments referred by Physio, Chiropractors and Podiatrists. Check with your specialist when obtaining your referral or call any of our practice locations to obtain pricing information.
Appointments generally not covered by Medicare include:
- Preventative imaging – where the patient is not experiencing symptoms but would like to investigate their risk of developing disease. This includes Whole Body MRI, Visceral Fat Assessments, Advanced Dementia Screenings, and CAC Scoring.
- Cosmetic procedures – CoolSculpting® fat reduction and ResurFX™ skin rejuvenation.
This list does not account for all possible appointment conditions and types. Medicare rules are very strict. Please ensure you check whether you will owe a gap payment at the time of booking and be prepared to pay (where necessary) at the time of your appointment. If you have any questions or concerns, call any of our practice locations during business hours and you will be provided with any additional information you need. We accept payment over the phone when you make your appointment, or on the day via cash, card, Eftpos or cheque. We do not accept AMEX. AdelaideMRI bulk bills the cost of all eligible examinations to Medicare on the day of the examination in most circumstances.
Which MRI scans are Medicare-eligible?
Medicare has very specific guidelines about which examinations are eligible.
- For patients older than 16 years of age, Medicare may cover MRI of the brain and cervical spine. For patients between 16 and 49 years, Medicare may cover MRI of the knee. Whether you are elligible depends on your symptom details and whether you have been referred by a GP–our reception team can help you understand whether you qualify at the time of your booking.
- For patients younger than 16 years of age, additional scans are eligible for a rebate, where GP referred. These include scans of the head (brain and sinus), spine (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar), hips, elbows, and wrists. This applies only to certain conditions.
- Your specialist doctor can also refer certain adult patients for Medicare-eligible MRI scans. This applies to a limited number of conditions.
Fees apply only where an MRI scan is not Medicare-eligible. Please ask your doctor or speak to our reception staff when booking if you are unsure about the eligibility of your scan, and they will be able to provide current pricing information.
My scan is Medicare eligible. What will I pay?
We bulk-bill all Medicare eligible scans. Bulk billing means no gap payment and no unexpected out of pocket expense.
Only when a scan is not Medicare eligible will payment be required.
You can check if your scan is Medicare-eligible when booking. Medicare has very specific guidelines about which examinations are eligible for rebate.
Will you charge if my referral form is for a different provider?
It is your choice where you have your scan or procedure. You may book an appointment at any AdelaideMRI practice with any request form at no additional charge. Fees apply only where the requested service is not Medicare-eligible.
My doctor has requested physical copies of the images. Do you charge for these?
Sometimes your doctor may require traditional large-format plastic images (‘hard films’). If so, let us know and we will print plastic images for you – a surcharge of $20 applies for these copies.
How much do interventional & pain management treatments cost?
We bulk bill ALL Medicare eligible interventional treatments. Please check at the time of your appointment whether your procedure will be eligible for a rebate.
Do you bulk bill cosmetic treatments?
No. These services are not covered by Medicare. To obtain up to date information on our competitive pricing, please call any of our practice locations.
Which payment types do you accept for treatments not covered by Medicare?
We accept cash, card, Eftpos and cheque, but do not accept AMEX.
