FAQs

No, we do not. We operate a full-service private practice clinic with leading local clinical and administrative staff, along with the latest state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic clinical technology, which enables us to offer patients a truly world-class clinical experience. This service is not possible to run on a Bulk-Billing model. Therefore, there are reasonable out-of-pocket expense associated with most consultations and procedures.

Technically, no. However, we strongly recommend speaking to your GP prior to considering seeing Dr Kaushal, simply to ensure that your ailment cannot easily be managed by your primary care provider. Some patients may be disappointed if they pay to see Dr Kaushal, only to be told that their GP or another type of specialist is best placed to manage their non-acute condition. We recommend you start at your GP and obtain a referral to see Dr Kaushal if required.

If you are a Medicare card holder and want to claim the Medicare rebate, you will require a valid referral from either a GP or another Specialist to entitle you to claim your Medicare rebate.

Patients who do not have a Medicare card, do not want to claim the Medicare rebate, or international patients do not require a referral to attend our practice and will be billed per our standard rates.

GP referrals are valid for 12-months and referrals from other Specialist are valid for 3-months.

Yes, you can. You can use a referral that is made out to a different specialist of the same speciality/vocation (eg: another general surgeon) to see Dr Kaushal.

In clinic

Private health insurance does not cover what is done in the rooms (unless you are an in-patient or overseas visitor with international travel insurance). If you are an international visitor with the necessary insurance, full payment is required at the time of the consultation, you will then be provided with a receipt to claim directly from your provider.

Surgery

No, you are not necessarily required to have private health insurance to be a patient in a private hospital. A ‘self-funded’ patient is someone who doesn’t have Private Health Insurance, but pays cash for their medical treatment upfront. This consists of the specialist’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee, the surgical assistant’s fee and the hospital’s fee. It’s the hospital fee which makes up the vast majority of the cost.

Yes, but unfortunately Medicare does not offer a rebate for the initial consultation, so the first consultation is entirely out-of-pocket. Medicare rebates are available for all subsequent telehealth consultations, however.