Bulk Billing is a payment option under the medicare universal health insurance system in Australia. It covers a certain range of health services that are listed in the Medicare benefits. Generally, the government pays doctors directly 85% of the fee for billing the patient through the Medicare card. Physicians accept Medicare benefits as payment in full for the service rendered. The doctor bills Medicare directly. Patients cannot be charged additionally for the service. They have the right to collect the fee from patients directly.

Most general practitioner services are billed in bulk. The key purpose of billing is to provide an economic constraint on medical charges. If patients are billed in bulk, the patients Medicare card will be swiped and they will be asked to sign a form and they will not have to pay anything. Currently, the standard consultation fee per visit is $37. Medicare also provides an additional payment to doctors each time they bill retirees, health care cardholders, and those under 16 in bulk. If the above patients are billed wholesale, patients will be asked to sign a form after the appointment and a copy of the form will be provided to them. They will not be charged any other costs, such as booking the appointment, the charge for dressings. If the patient has more than one visit during the same day, then they will not be billed in bulk for each and every service. Some of the medical services are subsidized by the Australian Government.

The correct way to invoice wholesale manually is:

• Complete the form

• Have the form signed and dated by the patient

• Give a copy of the form to the patient

• You must complete a DB1 Header (Hospital Services Header) form and submit it with a Billing form, in order to make a claim.

There are different types of services available. These are used when claiming medical services.

• DB1H: Intrahospital Services Header

• DB1N: Bedside outside the hospital

• DB2-GP: GP Voucher

• DB2-OP: Optometrist Voucher

• DB2-OT: Valid for other professionals

• DB1N-AH: Allied Health Header

• DB2-AH: Allied Health Voucher

• DB3: Pathologist Voucher

• DB4: General Bonus, Specialist and Diagnosis

• DB4E: Proof of claims transmitted electronically

• DB5: Pathology (continued form) – Carbon only

• DB1-DP: Allied Health Chronic Disease Dental Scheme header

• DB2-DP: Allied Health Chronic Disease Dental Plan Voucher

• DB1N-DB: Teen Dental Header

• DB2-DB: dental voucher for teenagers