Medicare payment and fractures - where to find information?

[wysiwyg]

So I have fractured my heal bone, when I saw the doctor after the x-ray - I was charged 2 fees - the fee for seeing the doctor which I got a rebate on, and then another fee (both were $75) which the doctor said was for managing the fracture (i.e referring me to get a camboot fitted - which I had to pay for) and said that meant I wouldn't pay again.

Since then I have had to go back to the doctors about the ankle 3 times (for an infection, and ultrasound of the foot as they needed to rule out clotting) - each time - it won't give me anything back on medicare and they say I have to take the form to medicare and explain it isn't aftercare. They said it is always the way for six weeks after you have been in hospital - now I haven't been in hospital at all - but is something to do with this managing fracture fee thing I paid. I don't real understand what is considered aftercare - and if it is aftercare why shouldn't their be a rebate on it?

Now if I had been in hospital about the foot - I assume I would have been going back to the hospital for all these foot related things, rather than seeing the GP. (the original GP who applied this fracture fee is on holiday so I can't ask her - and the other doctors and the receptionist don't seem to be able to explain it to me)

So then say it is just an IT thing blocking the rebate for the other appointments, how exactly does the managing the fracture thing save me money - as surely I could have just paid for the appointment and then paid for the final appointment after the last x-ray.

When the original doctor said about this fee - then I thought that it meant that any future appointments for the foot to do with the fracture would be covered - but if that is the case then why don't the other doctors or receptionists know about it.

I now have paid 2x$95 and 1x$75 - that I need to go into medicare office to get the rebate back on apparently - but I would like to understand a bit more about the situation before I go in there - has anyone got any advice or know how you can look up medicare items etc.

[Floweryfields]

You can look up item numbers here: MBS Online - Welcome to MBS Online

You can get your medicare statement once you've registered on my gov. It will show you what you've been charged for and what you've received back for your history of claims - I think it's up to 3 years old.

[wysiwyg]

Thanks this is really useful - I was already on myGov - so I just checked and it does give me the codes but doesn't really explain anything.

For the day I saw the GP I get two codes

00023 CONSULTATION AT CONSULTING ROOMS - LEVEL 'B'. 75.00 36.30 38.70 EFTPOS
47606 Calcaneum or Talus, treatment of fracture 200.20 200.20 0.00 Bulk Bill


So I got a rebate on the consultation like I thought, no rebate on the other 75 so isn't listed with medicare and see that medicare have paid 200.20 - for something???? the description of the code is

CALCANEUM OR TALUS, treatment of fracture of, not being a service to which item 47609, 47612, 47615 or 47618 applies, with or without dislocation

But now what on earth are medicare paying the 200.20 for? the further description is all about operations? I guess the best place to go ask is the Medicare office?

[briggsy's girl]

You can call Medicare and get them to walk you through it. Probably easier to get the time required for the explanation if you're on the phone.

[wysiwyg]

Thanks BG I would never have thought of calling but could be much easier.