Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Podiatrist?
A Podiatrist is trained to assess, diagnose and treat foot and lower limb problems. These may include skin and nail problems, foot and ankle injuries, foot complications related to diabetes and other medical conditions and problems with gait or walking. Podiatrists play an important role in monitoring disease and managing lower limb issues to maintain an active and mobile population across the lifespan. Therefore patient demographics can be diverse ranging from monitoring children's growth and development, managing sports injuries, working with people with chronic disease, disability and the ageing population. Do I need a referral to see a Podiatrist? The short answer is no. Most people do not need a referral to see a podiatrist, however some funding schemes require a referral from your doctor. These include Department of Veterans affairs, Workers Compensation or those people who have health conditions being managed under a Chronic Disease Management Plan. Many private health insurance funds will also provide rebates for podiatry services. Is Podiatry covered under Medicare? Currently people being managed for a Chronic Disease or health condition may be eligible for an Chronic Disease management plan which may allow them to receive a referral to a Podiatrist for up to 5 visits per year. Please speak to your GP to discuss your eligibility. Do you bulk bill people who are referred to you on a Chronic Disease Management Plan? These appointments will require a full payment of $100 for new patients or those who have not seen one of our Podiatrists in the past 12 months or $78 for those who have seen one of our Podiatrists in the past 12 months. A rebate of $58.30 will be deposited back into your account on the day leaving a $41.70 gap for new patients and a $19.70 gap for follow up appointments. Long follow up consults are billed at $90 leaving a $31.70 gap. Do you accept all health funds? Yes we do. Ring your health fund to check your individual cover What will be my gap payment for my initial consult? This varies between different health funds and is dependent on your level of cover. The item code we use for our initial consults is F004. Costs usually range between $80-$100 If you ring your health fund they will be able to answer this question for you. The item code for ongoing consults is F012 or longer consults is F014. Costs vary between $68-90. Are you a Member's First Provider for BUPA? Yes. SOLE FOCUS are a Member's First Provider for BUPA. Are you a part of the More For You HCF Provider network? Yes. SOLE FOCUS are a part of the More For You HCF Provider network. Are you a Member's Choice Provider for Medibank? Yes, SOLE FOCUS are a Member's Choice Provider for Medibank. Can I claim my Private Health Rebate at the time of consultation? Yes. We have an EFTPOS and HICAPS machine on site which means you can claim our services with your health fund on the day. What should I bring to my initial appointment? - Two or three of your most commonly worn pairs of shoes - Any relevant x-rays and/or ultrasounds - If your having your orthotics checked then please bring them - If you would like additional pairs of orthoses please bring your moulds with you Any more questions? Please send us an email [email protected] |