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Policy Statement: Bulk Billing
August 2009
In recent times, our competitors have made major changes to their billing practices, with variable charging of private fees for pathology services, in contrast to the previous longstanding, widespread practice of bulk billing for outpatient services. As a medical practitioner, you may (or may not) have received notification of this change. As a patient, you may have received an unexpected bill following a blood test. Rest assured: Coastal Pathology has no plans to follow the path of our competitors.
Coastal Pathology will be continuing its policy of directly billing Medicare (“bulk billing”) for all outpatient referrals (for Medicare card and DVA card holders).
As you may also be aware, the background to this is the continuing policy of the Federal Government to cut back Medicare rebates for Pathology items, across a wide variety of tests. Pathology labs have borne the cost of this over several years, but obviously our competitors have now decided to use their market power and dominance to shift the cost of this inadequate Medicare rebating onto patients, rather than their shareholders.
Nevertheless, at Coastal Pathology, we remain concerned both for patient’s finances as well as our own financial viability. We believe it is in both of our best interests to continue a policy of bulk-billing.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Telephone: 5456 4830 Fax: 5456 4835 Email: enquiries@coastalpathology.com.au
Yours truly,
Dr Joe Gatto Partner, Coastal Pathology 3rd August 2009
Press Release: September 2008
Coastal Pathology is the largest independently owned medical testing laboratory on the Sunshine Coast and is pleased to announce that it has recently completed a significant upgrade of its diagnostic infrastructure and broadly expanded the range of services it provides to patients and the medical community throughout the region. The company’s commitment includes the opening of three new collection centres in Noosaville, Buderim and Nambour with a fourth opening soon in Maroochydore.
Coastal Pathology was established in 2005 by Drs Joe Gatto and Tim McNamara who have over 20 years combined experience in Sunshine Coast pathology. Dr Gatto is a Queensland native and a member of the RCPA (Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia) with more than 10 years experience in public and private health. Dr McNamara is an examiner for the RCPA and an assessor for NATA - the government-endorsed provider of accreditation for laboratories. Both remain actively involved in all aspects of the day to day operations of the Coastal Pathology laboratory in King Street, Buderim.
Commenting on the company’s recent expansion Dr Joe Gatto said, "Pathology in Australia has undergone widespread rationalisation in recent years so that about 90% of nationwide private pathology is conducted by 4 large corporations who are responsible first and foremost to shareholders. Patients and referring doctors come second. We believe that our medical colleagues are most concerned about delivering the highest quality medical care possible to patients. Incredible as it may seem, Coastal Pathology is the only pathology laboratory on the Sunshine Coast that is owned and operated by fully qualified pathologists."
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