Billing
How Medicare Billing Works for GP Home Visits in Australia
Billing is the first thing most GPs ask about before trying home visits. It works much like consulting room billing, with a few choices you control.
Medicare lists home visits as general practitioner attendances other than in consulting rooms, with items set by minimum attendance length, for example item 37 for at least 20 minutes. You can bulk bill or charge a private fee. Item numbers, rebates and rules change, so check the current schedule on MBS Online before you set fees.
Home visits are a recognised Medicare service
The Medicare Benefits Schedule describes item 37 as a professional attendance by a general practitioner, other than at consulting rooms or a residential aged care facility, lasting at least 20 minutes and including clinically relevant elements such as history, examination, investigations and a management plan. The Department of Health publishes the full schedule on MBS Online.
Items depend on attendance length
Because home visit items are tiered by minimum time, a full 30-minute visit with clinical notes is a different service from a rushed slot. Check the descriptors for the item you intend to claim on MBS Online and make sure your notes support it.
Three ways to charge
Bulk billing means accepting the Medicare benefit as full payment; a private fee means the patient pays you and claims the benefit; a hybrid mixes the two. The choice of billing arrangement is yours as the treating GP. Check the current rebate for the item you use on MBS Online.
GST on medical services
The ATO states that medical services for which a Medicare benefit is payable are GST-free, whether or not the patient actually claims the benefit.
Where C.A.L.L.S fits
C.A.L.L.S includes Medicare billing tools on the Active and Premium plans and pays weekly with no commission (source: C.A.L.L.S pricing).
Join C.A.L.L.S
Set your own fee. Keep all of it.
C.A.L.L.S takes no commission, so whatever you decide to charge for a home visit is yours.
Join C.A.L.L.S and run your own GP home visit practiceFrequently asked questions
Can GPs bill Medicare for home visits?
Yes. Home visits are billed under attendance items for services outside consulting rooms, such as MBS item 37.
Do I have to bulk bill home visits?
No. You can bulk bill, charge a private fee or use a hybrid. Check current rules on MBS Online.
Are home visits GST-free?
The ATO says medical services with a Medicare benefit payable are GST-free. Confirm your circumstances with the ATO or an accountant.
Does C.A.L.L.S include Medicare billing tools?
Yes, on the Active and Premium plans (pricing).