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Telehealth Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This article provides answers to common Telehealth questions, covering Medicare eligibility, private insurance, medication restrictions, prescriptions, medical certificates, referrals, payment, refunds, complaints, and technical issues. It clarifies that only patients seen in person within 12 months can claim Medicare, and certain medications cannot be prescribed via Telehealth. Contact details for major Telehealth providers are included.

    Can I get bulk-billed Telehealth/can I claim a Medicare rebate?

    Due to the changes to Medicare rebates and the bulk-billing policies for Telehealth GP Consults, under the current COVID-19 health measures, only GP clinics that have seen a patient face-to-face in the last 12 months are eligible to claim Medicare for Telehealth consults.

    This means that many private billing practices that provide Telehealth cannot access MBS items, and patients will not be eligible for a Medicare rebate.

    For more information on this matter, check out the Australian Government's outline on Telehealth Services - MBS Telehealth Services from January 2022.

    If unsure after reading the article, please reach out to the medical practice directly to confirm if the service is eligible for a Medicare rebate.

    Will my Private Health Insurance cover this Telehealth Consultation?

    Some Private Health Insurers may cover your Telehealth appointment in certain circumstances, for example, if you are on an international VISA.

    We recommend that you reach out to your Private Health Insurance provider and confirm whether this type of appointment can be covered with them, or read the product disclosure statement your insurer has provided you.

    What medications can’t be prescribed through Telehealth?

    Schedule 8 Controlled Drug medications or drugs of addiction cannot be prescribed by doctors. These Schedule 8 medicines are ‘controlled drugs’ that must meet specific conditions when being produced, supplied, distributed, owned and used. As these are classified as drugs of dependence, they pose a high risk of misuse and abuse.

    As well, Schedule 4 Drugs, which have the potential to cause harm or be misused, such as benzodiazepines, duromine, lyrica, zolpidem, zopiclone, quetiapine and high-strength codeine, are not routinely prescribed and should be sourced from your regular GP.

    I need extra information on my invoice to claim for my insurance

    Please contact these medical practices to request a medical tax invoice.

    To gather the information needed for an insurance claim, you will need to request an itemised medical invoice from the practitioner/practice you have an appointment with.

    Healthengine is an online booking directory and not a medical practice - we cannot issue medical invoices for your Telehealth Consultation appointments as we do not have access to the details of your consultation.

    Payment confirmations from Healthengine are for the booking transactions only and cannot be used for claiming purposes.

    For those who book an appointment with a telehealth aggregator such as 24-7 Medcare, Medmate or SwiftDoc, all doctors have a provider number, and their finance team will action the requests for receipts post-appointment. The receipt will contain the practitioner’s provider number and all other information.

    Can I get one-off and repeat prescriptions?

    Yes, you can request one-off or repeat prescriptions!

    If you require a script as part of your consultation, simply speak with your doctor, and you can have your script sent to you or a pharmacy of your choice.

    When a script is being sent to the pharmacy of your choice, doctors will let their reception team know, who will then scan and email or fax the script to your pharmacy - this can take anywhere from 5 minutes to a couple of hours.

    Alternatively, you can ask your doctor to prepare an E-Script, which will be sent to you via SMS or emailed as a QR code, which can then be taken to the pharmacy of your choice.

    Can I get a same-day or multi-day medical certificate?

    Medical certificates via online form are for the same day that the request is made.

    If you require a medical certificate for multiple days or have health requirements to discuss, please book an online telehealth consultation. Please note that multi-day medical certificates can be provided, but not beyond 7 days from the date of consultation.

    We advise that you read the Practice Policies when booking an appointment online to confirm the practice guidelines regarding medical certificates.

    The Medical Certificate will be sent to you directly via email as a PDF.

    What services can Telehealth providers give me?

    Telehealth providers can offer a wide range of services, including mental health plans, medical certificates, script requests and work cover claims.

    These services can vary depending on the Telehealth provider, so we recommend checking the services before continuing to book online.

    You can find a list of these services on their Healthengine profiles below or on their websites, which are provided at the end of this article.

    Can I get a referral?

    Please note that it is at the discretion of the medical practitioner to agree on a referral based of what was discussed during the consultation.

    If you require a referral, it will be sent to you directly via email as a PDF.

    It will either be a standard form so you can take it to whichever specialist you want (the doctor can provide a list of specialists and locations), or you can ask for a referral to a specific specialist.

    How will I receive my prescription/referral/medical certificate?

    Your script will be sent to you or a pharmacy of your choice as discussed with your doctor at the time of your appointment.

    Alternatively, you can ask your doctor to prepare an E-Script, which will be sent to you via SMS or emailed as a QR code to then be taken to the pharmacy of your choice.

    Medical Certificates and referrals will be sent via email as a PDF.

    If you have not yet received your script, referral or medical certificate (or received the incorrect one), please check your junk or spam folder first.

    Please reach out to the practice directly through the practice contact details found in your booking confirmation email, on their practice profile or at the bottom of this article if you cannot find the medical certificate/prescription or referral.

    How is payment taken for Telehealth services/when do I get charged?

    Practices typically require a pre-payment from your debit/credit card to secure your booking.

    These prices vary depending on the practice, so please check this on the practice profile before booking your appointment.

    What happens if the doctor is running late/the doctor didn't call me?

    If your doctor is running late for your scheduled appointment, please allow up to one hour for the doctor to contact you.

    If you do not hear from the practice, please reach out to them directly through the practice contact details found in your booking confirmation email or their practice profile.

    My card has been charged, but the appointment was cancelled?

    If you cancelled via your Healthengine account, you will be automatically refunded.

    If you cancelled directly with the practice or via an appointment reminder, you will need to reach out to the clinic to process a refund for you.

    You can read more about this in our Telehealth Refunds - For Patients article.

    I would like a refund.

    Healthengine is unable to issue a refund on a practice’s behalf - if you require a refund for your Telehealth Consultation appointment, please request to the practice directly so they may process your refund at their discretion and at their earliest convenience.

    Please bear in mind that whether you are entitled to a refund for any Telehealth services will be determined by the policy of the Telehealth provider you booked an appointment with.

    I have a complaint about my appointment

    Our role is to facilitate the booking on your behalf, but we are not involved or aware of what is discussed during the consultation, and as such, we cannot investigate complaints about the quality of care provided.

    Rather, these matters must be raised with the practice directly and/or reported to AHPRA for investigation.

    You may lodge a formal complaint with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) via https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/How-to-submit-a-concern.aspx

    How do I enter a Telehealth video waiting room?

    For Telehealth appointments, you will simply need a working smartphone or computer with a stable internet connection and a front-facing camera.

    After booking an appointment, you will receive a link by text/email to join your appointment.

    Upon clicking the link, you will enter the waiting room and be prompted to start the appointment once your practitioner becomes available.

    Why does my booking say I have an appointment at midnight?

    If your appointment says that it’s at midnight, there's no need to lose sleep over it!

    The practice you’ve booked with is using a booking request form rather than set appointment times - this means the practice will contact you directly to organise an appointment time or will conduct the appointment immediately.

    Can I request a consultation if I have an emergency?

    No.

    The services offered by Telehealth are not suitable for medical emergencies.

    If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 000 or go to your nearest emergency hospital department.

    I have a question about the Telehealth provider and their services

    You can find out more about your Telehealth provider and their services by following the links below or reaching out to the practices via their contact information.

    24-7 Medcare
    Website: https://24-7medcare.com.au/contact-us/
    Email: reception@24-7medcare.com.au
    Phone:

    139247

    SwiftDoc
    Website: http://swiftdoc.com
    Email: admin@swiftdoc.com
    Phone:

    1800 794 383

    Medmate
    Website: https://medmate.com.au/
    Email: clinic@medmate.au
    Phone:

    1300 858 909