Billing Policy
Many patients are not aware that they do not have to be "out of pocket" for pathology testing. Most pathology tests are covered by Medicare and can be Bulk Billed (direct billed) to Medicare. This means the patient does not receive an account and has nothing to pay if all the testing is Bulk Billed to Medicare.
It is usually the treating doctor who requests that the pathology testing be Bulk Billed. Patients who do not want to pay excess "out of pocket" charges for their pathology testing should ask their doctor to request that the testing be Bulk Billed by the pathology laboratory used by their doctor. Gribbles are happy to receive such requests from the treating doctor. Patients have the right to ask their doctors to request Bulk-Billing for their pathology testing and thus avoid "out of pocket" expenses. Patients can ask doctors to refer their pathology testing to specific laboratories, such as Gribbles Pathology.
Where the treating doctor does not request Bulk Billing, or a test is not covered by Medicare reimbursements (e.g. HIV testing), or the patient is not covered by Medicare (e.g. an overseas visitor) then Gribbles will issue an account to the patient with the fee set at a maximum of 135% of the Medicare Schedule fee so that any gap payment is minimised.