Private fees are payable for consultations. Aged Pension card holders and Health Care card holders receive a discount on the gap fee. DVA Gold card holders do not incur any out of pocket expenses for consultations, biopsies or excisions.
Additional gap fees apply if further procedures, for example skin biopsies, cryotherapy of sun spots, injections, skin cancer surgery and patch testing are done.
Private medical insurance does not cover the out of pocket expenses that are payable for consultations and the procedures performed at our clinics.
Payment for excision of benign tumours or skin cancers is made when you return for removal of sutures.
Following excision of benign tumours or skin cancers, at the time of follow-up consultation for wound review, removal of sutures, and discussion of results, there is no consultation fee, unless consultation for another skin problem takes place.
Following a skin biopsy that is done to establish a diagnosis of a skin problem, there is a fee payable for the follow-up consultation which involves discussion of results and formulation of a management plan.
Practice administration levy
Starting on the 13th of January 2025, a 5% practice administration levy will be applied to all privately billed consultations and procedures at Dermatology SA. This decision has not been taken lightly. The federal government's failure to fully index Medicare for the past 12 years along with increased operational costs, including wages, surgical equipment, rent and other standard expenses has made it unsustainable for our practice to operate under the current model. We recognize this is an additional cost for our dedicated and supportive patients. Despite our efforts to personally absorb these costs, we are unable to do so. We ask for your understanding.