Is Abby bulk billed?

Abby Health bulk bills most telehealth consultations for eligible patients, meaning Medicare covers the consultation in full and there is no out-of-pocket cost for eligible patients. To be eligible you need a valid Medicare card and you need to meet the telehealth MBS item criteria for the appointment you are booking. A small number of services sit outside bulk billing, including private-only consultations and certain items that require in-person identification or fall outside Medicare rules. We show any fees clearly before you confirm a booking, so you always know what is covered and what is not.

What bulk billing means at Abby

Bulk billing is the arrangement where your clinician bills Medicare directly for the consultation, and Medicare pays the schedule fee in full. Eligible patients are not out of pocket and do not pay and then claim a rebate. When we say Abby Health bulk bills most telehealth consultations for eligible patients, we mean exactly that: for the vast majority of GP and Nurse Practitioner telehealth appointments booked through Abby, Medicare covers the consultation for eligible Medicare patients and there is no out-of-pocket cost for eligible patients to pay.

Abby is an online-first clinic, so your consultation happens over video or phone with a clinician from our care network. The bulk-billing arrangement is the same in principle as a bulk-billing practice on your high street — the difference is that the waiting room is replaced by the app, and your clinician can see you from wherever you are in Australia.

What "most" telehealth consultations covers

"Most" is deliberate and honest. For eligible Medicare patients, it covers the vast majority of day-to-day reasons people book a GP or Nurse Practitioner appointment through Abby, including:

• General GP and Nurse Practitioner telehealth consultations
• Scripts, referrals and medical certificates issued during a covered consult
• Pathology and imaging request forms issued during the consult (note: the pathology lab or imaging provider is a separate organisation and may charge their own fees)
• Follow-up consultations for the same issue

A smaller group of services sit outside bulk billing. These include private-only consultations (where the service is not eligible for a Medicare telehealth item), certain items that require in-person identification, and medicines or assessments that cannot be provided safely online under current rules. Where a service is not bulk billed for eligible patients, you will see the fee clearly before you confirm a booking. You can read more about this on our page covering what Abby can and cannot prescribe online safely.

What counts as an "eligible patient"

In practice, an eligible patient is someone who:

• Has a current, valid Medicare card
• Is booking a consultation that is listed as a telehealth MBS (Medicare Benefits Schedule) item
• Meets the specific criteria for that MBS item — for example, telehealth MBS rules change over time and some items have requirements around prior relationship with a clinician, age group, or clinical indication

If you are unsure whether you are Medicare-eligible, you can still book — our team will walk you through your options before any fee is charged, and you can read who is eligible for bulk billing for more detail.

What sits outside bulk billing

Some appointments and services are not eligible for Medicare bulk billing through telehealth. These typically include:

• Private-only consultations (for example, certain cosmetic, travel, or commercial medical assessments)
• Services that, by regulation, require in-person identification or a physical examination
• Items not covered by a current telehealth MBS item number

When a service sits outside bulk billing, we do not hide the fee. The price is shown up front, and you can decide whether to proceed. If you have private health insurance, it may cover some allied health services but typically does not cover GP telehealth fees; our page on claiming on private health insurance explains this in plain English.

How to book a bulk-billed appointment

The process is the same whether you are a new or returning patient. You choose an appointment type, confirm your Medicare details, and meet your clinician at the booked time. If the consultation is covered by a telehealth MBS item and you are an eligible Medicare patient, we bill Medicare directly. You can read a step-by-step walk-through on how to book a bulk-billed appointment on Abby.

Because Abby keeps your record in one place, your next clinician can pick up where the last one left off — that is what we mean by long-term care, on-demand. You can read more about how Abby remembers you.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Medicare card to be bulk billed?

Yes. Medicare bulk billing requires a current, valid Medicare card. Without one, you can still book a private consultation where eligible, with the fee shown before you confirm.

Will I ever be charged for a bulk-billed consultation?

No. If your appointment is bulk billed for eligible patients, Medicare covers the consultation in full and there is no out-of-pocket cost for eligible patients. If an appointment is not eligible for bulk billing, we show the fee clearly before you confirm the booking.

Are pathology and imaging covered too?

Your clinician can issue pathology and imaging request forms during a covered consultation. The pathology lab or imaging provider is a separate organisation and sets its own fees and bulk-billing arrangements, which vary by provider and location.

What if my appointment is not eligible for bulk billing?

You will see the fee up front before you confirm the booking. You can choose to proceed with a private consultation or cancel at no cost. Our team is happy to talk you through your options.

Who decides whether my consultation is bulk billed?

Medicare sets the rules through the MBS. Your clinician, supported by our care network, confirms the appropriate item number for your consultation based on the clinical reason for the visit and the current MBS criteria.

Find Comfort. Abby Health. Care that understands you.