Can I claim Abby on private health insurance

GP consultations are covered by Medicare, not private health insurance, under Australia's healthcare system. You do not need private health insurance to see a GP through Abby. Most private health funds do not cover GP visits, with or without telehealth. Specific services like dental, optical, and some specialist gaps may be claimable if covered by your fund.

How GP costs work in Australia

Standard GP consultations in Australia are funded through Medicare. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) sets a rebate for each consultation type. If a GP bulk bills, the rebate covers the full fee and you pay nothing. If the GP charges above the rebate, you pay the gap.

This is different from the United States or some other countries. In Australia, 'health insurance' usually means private health insurance, which sits alongside Medicare and covers things Medicare does not, like private hospital admissions, dental, and optical.

Abby is bulk billed

Abby Health bulk bills telehealth consultations for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card. Strict eligibility criteria apply. No private health insurance claim is required or possible for a bulk-billed Abby visit.

What private health insurance does cover

Private health insurance in Australia typically covers some combination of:

• Hospital cover: private hospital admissions, choice of doctor in hospital, gap payments on specialist hospital fees.
• Extras cover: dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropractic, and other allied health services.

Specific specialist gap payments outside hospital may be partially covered depending on your fund and policy. GP visits are not part of standard private health cover.

What about international patients

If you are an international student or visitor, you may have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) or Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) instead of Medicare. These funds work differently and Abby is currently focused on Medicare-eligible patients. See using Abby without a Medicare card.

Frequently asked questions

Can I claim my Abby visit on health insurance?

Generally no, because there is nothing to claim. Bulk-billed consultations have no out-of-pocket cost.

Does Abby accept gap insurance for GP visits?

Abby bulk bills eligible patients, so there is no gap. For ineligible patients, fee arrangements are disclosed before booking.

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