Fees
At Newbay Medical Clinic, we know that knowing the cost of an appointment before you book helps you feel more confident and in control of your healthcare.
Our gap remains at $64 per 20 minute consultation
Please find a examples of our fees and how we process Medicare rebates below
If you’re looking for more information, please give us a call on 03 9521 5378
Newbay Medical Clinic Fees
Changes to Our Billing Policy
Starting 9th Feb 2026
Until now, we have been proud to bulk bill all children under 18. Unfortunately, this has become untenable given the current financial pressures on the practice.
From 9 February 2026, consultations for children and adolescents will be charged at the standard consultation fee of a $64 gap, excluding 💉childhood vaccination visits, which will continue to be bulk billed.
Where possible, we will continue to bulk bill when a child is being reviewed for an ongoing issue with the same doctor, and we will always aim to apply discretion in situations of financial hardship.
How Medicare and private billing works
We believe this is the most transparent and straightforward cost structure of any clinic in Melbourne.Medicare pays doctors a fixed rebate based on item numbers, rather than the actual time, complexity, or cost involved in your care. In real terms, Medicare rebates have not kept up with inflation over many years, while the costs of running a medical practice have continued to rise. As an example, Medicare currently pays the same rebate ($43.90) whether a doctor spends 7 minutes or 18 minutes with a patient. This makes it increasingly difficult to provide longer, more comprehensive consultations without additional fees — despite these being better for patient care.
As a result, most clinics now operate under a private or mixed billing model, where a fee is charged on top of the Medicare rebate. This allows practices to cover rising costs and continue providing longer appointments, experienced staff, and a higher standard of care. In many ways, it’s similar to choosing something above the basic level when it comes to your health — enabling more time, attention, and support than the minimum Medicare-funded service allows.
What this means for you
A standard 20-minute consultation attracts a $64 out-of-pocket fee after the Medicare rebate. When booking a 40-minute consult this becomes $128. We believe this is the most transparent cost structure of any clinic in Melbourne.
Example of a 20 minute booked consult Weekdays
(Including telehealth and video consults)
| Consultation examples | Eg Length | Upfront Fee | Medicare Rebate | Out of pocket cost to you👇 |
| 1-2 issues | 18 minutes | $107.90 | $43.90 (item 23) | $64 |
| 2-3 issues | 25 minutes | $148.90 | $84.90 (item 36) | $64 |
| Complex concerns | 21 minutes | $220.55 | $156.55 (item 965) | $64 |
Please book a standard consultation for most health concerns. If you have several issues to discuss, your doctor will focus on the most pressing concerns first and then work through the remaining issues in a stepwise, planned way over subsequent appointments if needed.
Example of a 40 minute booked consult Weekdays
(Including telehealth and video consults)
| Long consultation example | Eg Length | Upfront Fee | Medicare Rebate | Out of pocket cost to you👇 |
| Mental health | 35 minutes | $234.20 | $106.20 (item 2715) | $128 |
| 3+ issues | 37 minutes | $212.90 | $84.90 (item 36) | $128 |
| Prolonged consultation | 40 minutes or more | $253.1 | $125.10 | $128 |
Please book a long consultation if you have three or more issues, or if you have been advised to allow extra time. This gives us the best chance of addressing all concerns thoroughly in a single visit.
STANDARD CONSULTATION FEES MONDAY- FRIDAY
(INCLUDING TELEPHONE AND VIDEO CONSULTATIONS)
| Standard Consultation 1-2 Issues | Less Than 20 Minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $106.85 |
| Medicare Rebate | $42.85 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $64 |
| Long Consultation 2-3 Issues | Under 40 Minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $146.90 |
| Medicare Rebate | $82.90 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $64 |
| Prolonged Consultation | 40 Minutes Or More |
| Upfront Fee | $186.15 |
| Medicare Rebate | $122.15 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $64 |
Note: Gap fees are an additional $16 on weekends, and we do not offer bulk billing on weekends
STANDARD CONSULTATION FEES ON WEEKEND
(INCLUDING TELEPHONE AND VIDEO CONSULTATIONS)
| Standard Consultation 1-2 Issues | Less Than 20 Minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $122.85 |
| Medicare Rebate | $42.85 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $80 |
| Long Consultation 2-3 Issues | Under 40 Minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $150.10 |
| Medicare Rebate | $82.90 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $80 |
| Prolonged Consultation | 40 Minutes Or More |
| Upfront Fee | $188 |
| Medicare Rebate | $122.15 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $80 |
Weekend rates and public holiday rates
On weekends, the gap fee for a standard consultation is $80. Medicare does not provide higher rebates for weekend or Saturday morning appointments, so the increased fee reflects the additional costs of running the clinic at these times. Despite this, we continue to offer the same 20-minute consultations and high-quality care you expect from Newbay Medical Clinic.
STANDARD CONSULTATION FEES ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
| Standard consultation 1-2 issues | Less than 20 minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $135.80 |
| Medicare Rebate | $55.80 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $80 |
| Long consultation 2-3 issues | Under 40 minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $175.70 |
| Medicare Rebate | $95.70 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $80 |
| Prolonged consultation | 40 minutes or more |
| Upfront Fee | $214.20 |
| Medicare Rebate | $134.20 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $80 |
TELEPHONE AND VIDEO CONSULTATION FEES
| Telephone Consultation | 20 Minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $135.80 |
| Medicare Rebate | $55.80 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $80 |
| Video Consultation | 20 Minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $135.80 |
| Medicare Rebate | $55.80 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $80 |
FEES FOR MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATIONS
(INCLUDING TELEPHONE AND VIDEO CONSULTATIONS)
| Preparation for Mental Health care plan | 20 to 40 minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $167.70 |
| Medicare Rebate | $103.70 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $64 |
| Preparation for Mental Health care plan (long) | Over 40 minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $216.80 |
| Medicare Rebate | $152.80 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $64 |
| Review of Mental Health Care Plan | Less than 20 minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $145.70 |
| Medicare Rebate | $81.70 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $64 |
| Mental Health Consultation | 20 to 40 minutes |
| Upfront Fee | $145.70 |
| Medicare Rebate | $81.70 |
| Gap (out Of Pocket Cost) | $64 |
Example of a 20 minute booked consult on Saturday
(Including telehealth and video consults)
| Consultation examples | Eg Length | Upfront Fee | Medicare Rebate | Out of pocket cost to you👇 |
| Saturday 1-2 issues | 18 minutes | $123.90 | $43.90 (item 23) | $80 |
| Public holiday | 18 minutes | $137.60 | $57.16 (item 5020) | $80 |
BULK BILLING
The following patients will be bulk billed (on weekdays only):
- patients with a DVA gold card;
- patients who identify as being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander;
NON ATTENDANCE FEE
You can cancel or reschedule your appointment with at least four hours’ notice.
If you fail to attend your appointment without notice or cancel within 4 hours of your scheduled time, you will be charged a non-attendance fee equivalent to the lowest appointment type you have booked.
A cancellation/missed appointment fee cannot be claimed back on Medicare
PAYMENT
Payment for all consultations is kindly requested at the time of your visit.
We prefer payment by EFTPOS or cash
American Express, Visa or Mastercard are accepted of course but surcharges apply. Please ask our friendly reception team for more information.
We do not accept cheques.
Book Your Appointment
We hope we’ve answered your questions and provided you with the reassurance you were looking for from us! At Newbay Medical Clinic, our caring and professional team is dedicated to helping each and every patient receive the quality care they deserve. To book an appointment, contact our friendly and knowledgeable team today.
