I was just looking at my online medicare statement for the last 12 months. In August last year I went and got a tetanus injection after I stood on a nail at the local hospital. It was a Saturday afternoon. The hospital rang the doctor to look up my records to see when I had last had one before they told me to come in. When I went in, a nurse gave the injection.
Anyway, on my statement, I've been bulk billed for an after hour consultation in consulting rooms. I never saw the doctor and the injection was at the hospital not his offices.
So, I guess I see why he bills for things like this, but surely I should have to sign off on it or something? Otherwise what stops doctors making random claims for people all over the place when they've not done anything?
Pretty sure they can, but if they get caught out, medicarewon't just issue them the payment. They will send you something to sign and send back stating that you agree to have the payment issued to them. A GP I was seeing awhile back had this happen as it looks like his partner was doing the dodge and claiming for consults he wasn't doing.
It's happened once before, I may have even posted about it back then, probably 18 mths ago or more. Same practice, but I had a blood test just with the practice nurse. Didn't sign anything other than the S&N blood thingo and then discovered, about 6 months later that it was charged as a level B consult with the doctor. I should have checked into it then.
If you made only 10 extra claims a week for patients you didn't actually see, that's a pretty fair cash earner!
Can doctors make claims without my knowledge?
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks