Billing Policy

At Terang Medical Clinic, we believe good medicine takes time—especially when your health needs are complex or ongoing. We welcome long appointments and may sometimes recommend a follow-up visit to go through test results properly or explore things in more depth. We know that the best care happens when there’s space for real conversations.

In most cases, you’ll be eligible for a Medicare rebate to help cover the cost of your visit. However, the Medicare system tends to reward short, simple consultations with higher rebates—while longer, more thoughtful care (the kind we believe in) often attracts less support. We believe this doesn’t reflect what good general practice should look like. It undervalues both the quality of care and the trust built between you and your GP.

To keep care accessible, we bulk bill all patients with a Pension or Health Care Card. That means there’s no out-of-pocket cost to you, even though the rebate often doesn’t fully cover the time and resources involved. We choose to wear that gap because we’re committed to equitable care for everyone in our community.

If you don’t hold a concession card, we may ask you to contribute a gap fee to help cover the full cost of your consultation. We’ll always be transparent about fees and encourage you to ask if you’re unsure about any part of the billing process.

If you do not have access to Medicare, or if you’d like to discuss your personal circumstances confidentially, please feel free to contact our Practice Manager. We’re here to help you find a fair and affordable arrangement that won’t restrict your access to care. We understand these conversations can be uncomfortable, and we promise to manage them with compassion and care.

We’re here to support you with care that’s thorough, unrushed, and built around your needs—not the clock.

Cancellation & Missed Appointment Policy

We understand that unexpected situations can arise and you may be unable to attend your appointment. If this occurs, we kindly ask that you notify us at least 2 hours in advance so we can offer the appointment to another patient.

If you do not inform us and fail to attend, a ‘Non-Attendance’ fee of $40.00 (standard appointment) or $85.00 (long appointment) may be charged.

Unpaid fees will result in restrictions on booking future appointments.

These fees apply to all patients, including those with concession cards.

Patient Registration Form

Privacy Policy