> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Thinus 
> van Rensburg
> Sent: Tuesday, 17 April 2007 11:56 AM
> >   
> OK - in other words your patients pay the gap and you wait 
> for them to bring the cheque in??
> Does that work in the city?

Most of our patients pay us in full, and that is that as far as payment
is concerned.  

For the relatively few who pay only the gap, we do wait for the cheque.
However, this may never arrive (if the patient doesn't bring it to us),
in which case we receive the Medicare benefit into our bank account
about 120 days after the service under the 90 day unpresented cheque
scheme.  To compensate us for the delay in payment, our extra staff time
handling the Medicare cheque, car costs of going to the bank and bank
fees involved in depositing the patient's Medicare cheque or in waiting
for the automatic deposit, the gaps that we charge make our total fees
for item 23 $15 higher for non-concession patients and $12 higher for
concession patients.  (Non-concession patient: fee for full payment is
$57, fee if gap paid is $72; concession patient: fee for full payment is
$47, fee if gap paid is $59).
  
> You still need to print a copy of the transaction for the patient 
> don't you?

Yes, and this happens automatically.  My receptionists tell me that
about half of the number of patients don't want the copy and ask us to
destroy it, and the other half take it.

Oliver Frank, general practitioner
255 North East Road, Hampstead Gardens
South Australia 5086
Ph. 08 8261 1355  Fax 08 8266 5149  M 0407 181 683
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