I rang the accounts department and was notified that I was charged the private fee because the dr did not tick the box on the pathology request slip. By ticking this box the dr is indicating that the pathology test is to be bulk billed.

So for those of you thinking of a pre pregnancy test, check with your doctor if the pathology test ordered is bulk billed.

In my case all the test could have been bulk billed, however because the doctor did not tick the box, I was charged the private fee which in total is more than twice the amount that Medicare would reimburse. Does not make sense to me.