If you wish to access Medicare benefits for eligible services at Adelaide Cardiothoracic you must ensure we have a valid referral on the day of your appointment.
For a referral to be valid it must be issued by your referring doctor and it must be in our hands on the day of your appointment to us. We cannot accept referrals after the day of the appointment because this is not permitted under Medicare rules.
If you go on to have surgery in a private hospital, your referral must still be valid at the time of your procedure. The same applies if you need follow-up appointments with your surgeon, with the exception of normal post-operative follow-up appointments after you are discharged home from hospital.
In general, referrals from your GP are valid for 12 months from the date of your first appointment while those from a cardiologist, respiratory physician, or other specialist surgeon or physician are valid for 3 months.
If you do not have a valid referral at the time of your appointment or procedure, you will not be able to claim a rebate from Medicare or from your private health fund and you will be liable for the full cost of your appointment or procedure.
