Frequently Asked Questions
What is ProBills? Why are you calling me?
ProBills Australia handles billing and invoices for doctors of many specialties working in the private health system. If you’ve had surgery recently, or have surgery booked, we may contact you to provide a fee estimate or to arrange payment of a doctor’s invoice.
How can I pay this invoice?
Payment options are displayed at the bottom of all our invoices, and will include a required reference number for all payments.
We accept payment via cheque, EFT (internet banking) and credit card (Visa and MasterCard only). If you are having any issues paying your account, please call our office on 1-800-673-118.
Why does ProBills Australia appear on my credit card statement as a merchant?
All credit card payments made for our doctors’ invoices are processed through ProBills Australia’s merchant facility and we then pass the payment on to the doctor. For this reason, ProBills merchant details are shown on your bank statement.
What is the gap amount shown on my invoice?
Medicare and health fund rebates may not cover the entire cost of your procedure. This difference between the doctor’s fee and your rebates is the ‘gap’. Doctors can charge their patients more than the schedule fee, and most do.
The government sets a Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee for most services. The MBS fee is used to work out how much Medicare will pay. Each procedure involved in your treatment will have a MBS “item number” and a MBS fee. In Australia, doctors are free to decide how much to charge for their services. Fees vary because doctors must consider all the costs associated with delivering those services.
Our invoices are formatted to show clearly what you might expect to claim from your health fund and Medicare and how much out of pocket we expect that you will have.
Will my doctor bill at my health fund’s No Gap (aka MediGap, Gapcover) rate?
Some doctors elect to bill at the No Gap rates offered by private health funds, or may elect to do so under certain circumstances. You are welcome to call our office to discuss this possibility.
It is important to note that doctors are under no obligation to bill at the No Gap rates for private work.
Is my invoice claimable from Medicare or my private health insurance?
If there are item numbers shown on your invoice, it is likely you will be able to claim a rebate from Medicare or your private health insurance. These item numbers will be three or five digits long, and contain only numbers. You will need to submit a claim to Medicare and your health fund directly for their payment.
Wherever possible, we will claim rebates from Medicare and private health insurance before sending an invoice to you. However, current Medicare restrictions prevent us from claiming in every instance.
If you are concerned about being whether you are covered for any specific procedure, you should contact your private health insurer directly.
Where do I send mail to?
Our postal address is:
PO Box 304
MAWSON ACT 2607
Alternatively, any correspondence can be emailed to enquiries@probills.com.au .
Why was I not informed before surgery about this cost?
Wherever possible your doctor or our office will provide you with an estimate of your fees prior to your procedure, as well as providing you with other useful information such as Medicare item numbers and estimated gaps. This will allow you to enquire further from your health fund about the level of benefits available for your procedure. However, if you haven’t been given an estimate of your costs or have any enquiries relating to your fees you should contact your doctor before the procedure.
I want to speak to my anaesthetist before the day of surgery.
If you would like to speak to your doctor about your health, medication or other concerns, please contact our office. We can arrange for the doctor to call or email you directly, but cannot give you their contact details ourselves.
Why didn’t I get my fee estimate sooner?
Wherever possible your doctor or our office will provide you with an estimate of your fees prior to your procedure. However, there are several factors that can mean you will be contacted with the fee estimate or pre-payment request at short notice. Factors that might lead to a delay in you receiving your fee estimate include:
- Theatre list provided to us late
- Late finalisation of the theatre list
- Incomplete or incorrect details provided to us
We would ask you to please contact our office if you think that you should have received a fee estimate.
Why have I been asked to complete a pre-anaesthetic questionnaire?
It is now typical for patients to be admitted into hospital on the same day as their procedure, which makes it difficult for a detailed examination of the patient by the anaesthetist to occur. By completing the anaesthetic questionnaire, you are providing the anaesthetist with important health information prior to your arrival at the hospital, which allows them an opportunity to contact you for any further information they might require.
Why have I been asked to complete a Patient Experience Survey?
Generally, the anaesthetist does not see patients again after they have left the hospital. This makes it very difficult for them to ask about how things went after the procedure. Information like knowing whether you experienced pain or nausea, and how long it took you to get back on your feet can be very important for them. It also gives a way for you to provide feedback on your experience.
