Appointment Times
Depending on the nature of your appointment e.g. initial consult or review, will determine the time needed for your consultation.
Generally an initial consultation is longer as there is more information to discuss and in can be between 15-30 minutes in duration.
A review consultation can be between 10 – 20 minutes – if longer is needed then that will be managed on a case by case basis.
Referrals
If it is your first visit or a review visit – please ensure you have a current referral from either your GP or Medical Specialist. If you do not have a current referral then Medicare will not give you the Medicare rebate meaning you will be out of pocket for the entire consulting fee.
GP referrals are usually valid for 12 months (unless otherwise stated by the referrer)
Specialist referrals are usually for 3 months
Consultation Fees:
Private
| Fee | Rebate | Out of Pocket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Consultation | $ 250 | $ 88.40 | $ 161.60 |
| Review | $ 150 | $ 44.45 | $ 105.55 |
We ask for payment of the full consultation fee after your appointment. We will then lodge your Medicare Claim electronically via our clinical software system, provided you have a valid Medicare card and current GP referral at the time of your visit.
Workcover and TAC:
This practice treats patients who have been involved in workplace or motor vehicle accidents.
Workcover Claims
We charge an initial consultation fee of $300 for all Workcover Claims. Any subsequent reviews or surgery will be billed directly to your Workcover Insurer, provided you have a Claim ID and approval for consultation or surgery.
TAC Claims
If you need to see our surgeons within 90 days of an accident and have a TAC Claim ID, all costs are billed directly to TAC. If you are seeking treatment outside this time window, you will be charged an initial fee of $300, payable upfront. This can be claimed back following re-activation of your TAC Claim, and approval from the TAC. Any subsequent surgery will be covered as long as we have received approval prior to surgery.
Please call our office to find out further information.
Uninsured Patients:
Our doctors only see Uninsured Patients at the Public Hospital Outpatient Clinics.
If you do not have Private Health Insurance and are wishing to be placed on the Waiting List at Frankston Hospital, please ask your GP to refer you to the Frankston Hospital Orthopaedic Outpatients Department. Our surgeons do not have access to this Waiting List. Referrals are only accepted from General Practitioners.
Surgery Fees
Our surgeons’ fees are guided by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) Schedule of Fees and reflect the expertise required to provide specialist orthopaedic care.
Payment of the full surgeon’s fee is required prior to surgery. Following your procedure, Principle Orthopaedics will process your Medicare and private health insurance claims on your behalf. Any applicable rebates will then be paid directly into your nominated bank account.
Prior to surgery, you will receive a personalised Estimate of Costs and Informed Financial Consent, outlining your surgeon’s fee together with all anticipated costs associated with your procedure. This includes information regarding other potential costs, such as the anaesthetist, surgical assistant, and any applicable hospital excess.
Please note: It is not our standard practice to utilise the known gap scheme for elective procedures.
The table below provides an indication of the expected out-of-pocket costs for our most common procedures.
| Out of Pocket Fee | |
|---|---|
| Total Hip Replacement | $ 2850.70 |
| Total Knee Replacement | $ 2850.70 |
| Partial Knee Replacement | $ 2619.60 |
| Knee Arthroscopy | $ 1706.95 |
| ACL Reconstruction | $ 2850.70 |
If you have any questions regarding your fee estimate, our friendly reception team are always happy to assist.
Cancellation Fee
If you can’t attend, please contact the rooms so that we can reschedule your appointment and use the appointment time for another patient. If you do not cancel the appointment and do not attend on the day, there is a $95.00 cancellation fee applicable.
