REVEALED: Cheapest and most expensive Port Macquarie doctors, practices offering bulk billing

Residents on the Mid North Coast are forking out extra money to see a doctor. Read here which Port Macquarie doctors still bulk bill, and how much they charge privately.

A growing population, a shortage of medical professionals, and government cuts to Medicare are being blamed for how difficult it is to see a doctor in Port Macquarie.

The booming coastal city is known by many as ‘heaven’s waiting room’, given how hard it is to secure vital medical treatment – especially with the large number of retired, ageing citizens that call Port Macquarie home.

With the low number of doctors residing in the area, the housing shortage making it harder to live affordably in Port Macquarie, and how much less money medical professionals earn on bulk billed appointments, it’s no mystery why cheap GP visits are becoming a thing of the past.

Residents across Port Macquarie are frustrated with how difficult it is to book into an affordable doctor.

Plus some practices are still denying entry to patients with flu-like symptoms, for fear of Covid, putting further pressure on hospitals.

Lighthouse Medical Centre, on Port Macquarie’s Watonga St, believes “it is somehow lost in the conversation that the majority of general practices are small businesses, owned by GPs, like any other small business.”

“We foresee that the only practices to survive in the future will be the corporate-owned, dictated by shareholder returns.”

Many locals have expressed concerns over how hard it is to find a practice that accepts new patients, with it being even more difficult to find a doctor that bulk bills.

Medicare cardholders are entitled to a rebate at most Port Macquarie practices, but government cuts are making it harder to see a doctor for free.

While some locals are outraged they have to fork out extra money whenever they fall ill, other say they prefer a non-bulk billed system because it often means shorter waiting times at the doctor’s office.

It seems the upcoming election will shine a spotlight on the local doctor shortage, with both Labor and the coalition committing to major investments in rural healthcare.

Read on to see how much Port Macquarie doctors are currently charging, how affordable the local practices are, and if their books are open for new patients.

Clifton Medical Centre | 5A Clifton Dr, Port Macquarie

The books at Clifton Medical Centre are currently open to new patients.

A standard consultation will cost patients $90, with $39.10 returned from Medicare, resulting in an out-of-pocket expense of $50.90.

Longer visits and initial consultations for new patients cost $150, with a rebate of $75.75, leaving a gap of $74.25.

Visitors who are pension, concession or health care cardholders are charged for their first consultation only, with the following appointments bulk billed.

Appointments can be booked online.

Five Star Medical Centre | 158 Gordon St, Port Macquarie

The books at Five Star Medical Centre are currently closed to new patients.

Bulk billing is available to current patients who are aged 17-years-old and under, and DVA gold/concession/pension cardholders.

Quick consults cost $35, with a Medicare rebate of $17.90, costing the patient $17.10.

A standard consult is valued at $75, with $39.10 back from Medicare, resulting in an out-of-pocket cost of $35.90.

Long consultations cost $100, featuring a rebate of $75.75, charging a gap of $35.90.

For extended visits to Five Star Medical, patients are charged $150, with Medicare returning $111.50, leaving $38.50.

A consult fee is charged for initial consultations and non-local visitors to the area.

Appointments can be booked on [phone].

Flynns Beach Medical Centre | 54 Pacific Dr, Port Macquarie

The books at Flynns Beach Medical aren’t currently open to new patients.

Consultations lasting less than 5 minutes cost $37.90, with a Medicare rebate of $17.85, leaving the patient $20.05 out-of-pocket.

Appointments under 20 minutes cost $75.85, with $39.10 back from Medicare, resulting in a gap of $38.10.

Visits between 20 and 40 minutes are valued at $113.85, with a rebate of $75.75, leaving $32.20 out-of-pocket.

For consultations lasting more than 40 minutes, patients are charged $151.70, with $111.50 back from Medicare, and a gap of $40.20.

Free visits are available to those aged under 16-years-old and pension/health care cardholders.

Appointments can be booked online through the website.

Greenmeadows Medical | 152 Greenmeadows Dr, Port Macquarie

Greenmeadows Medical offers a flexible appointment system with spaces allocated for those needing a same-day appointment.

While some of the doctors are open to new patients – with a few weeks’ wait – other Greenmeadows practitioners have closed their books.

Concession cardholders under the age of 75 have the option of paying an annual practice fee of $50, payable on the patient’s first visit each year.

Self-funded retirees aged 75-years and over have the same yearly fee option.

Children under the age of 16 years, concession card or DVA gold cardholders can see a doctor for free.

DVA gold cardholders also have the option of free home visits.

Patients without a concession card will pay a $30 out-of-pocket gap fee for each consultation.

Appointments can be booked via Healthengine online.

Healthy North Coast | Telehealth

Healthy North Coast is a telehealth option available to residents on the North and Mid North coasts.

The free hotline operates 24/7, offering after-hours GP appointments and advice, diagnosis and treatment, prescriptions sent to your local pharmacy, medical certificates, specialist referrals, care summaries, My Health Record information and general GP services.

Port Macquarie is included in the service’s jurisdiction, with a postcode eligibility checker available on the website.

Video consults are also available, for patients needing to give the doctor a visual of their illness or injury.

To book in, call 1800 931 158, or visit the website to find out more.

Hermitage Medical Centre | 72-80 Lake Rd, Port Macquarie

At present, the books at Hermitage Medical Centre are not open to new patients.

Bulk billing is available for existing patients who hold a DVA/health care card and children under the age of 16.

Hermitage charges $80 for short consultations, with a rebate of $39.10, leaving a gap of $40.90.

Longer consultations cost $115, with Medicare covering $75.75, resulting in an out-of-pocket cost of $39.25.

Existing patients can book in to see Dr. Chitra Gopalareddy via Hermitage’s website.

Lachlan Medical Centre | 3/66 Lord St, Port Macquarie

Attached to Flynns Beach Medical, Lachlan Medical Centre’s books are also currently closed to new patients.

Pricing remains the same for existing patients at both practices, with consultations under 5 minutes costing $20.05 out-of-pocket, appointments under 20 minutes resulting in a gap of $38.10, visits between 20 and 40 minutes leaving a gap of $32.20 out-of-pocket, and an out-of-pocket price of $40.20 for consultations lasting more than 40 minutes.

Lachlan Medical offers bulk billing for pensioners and health care cardholders.

Appointments at this practice can be booked online.

Lake Innes Medical & Dental Centre | 43 John Oxley Dr, Port Macquarie

Lake Innes Medical & Dental Centre is currently closed to new patients.

Bulk billing is available to all children under the age of 16, as well as holders of a current pension, health care, or DVA gold card.

Item 23 – also known as a short consultation – will cost patients $80, with Medicare covering $39.10 of that.

Item 36 – longer GP consults – are valued at $115, with a Medicare rebate of $75.75.

Appointments can be booked online via the HotDoc website.

Lighthouse Medical Centre | 40 Watonga St, Port Macquarie

Lighthouse Medical Centre is not accepting bookings from new patients at this time.

The practice was able to shine some light on the current doctor shortage facing Port Macquarie, revealing that, despite quite a few retirements or reduced working hours of long-time GPs, the area has seen very few new doctors relocate to Port Macquarie.

“We have closed the books to keep reasonable waiting times for existing patients and offer better health outcomes,” a Lighthouse Medical spokesperson told The Mid North Coast News.

“We are at juncture where our evaluation suggests that we have no option other than to privately bill even our pensioners, for at the least 25 to 30 per cent of their visits, due to an increase in costs and the low rate of Medicare benefits that have not kept up with inflation over the last decade.

“To put it in perspective, GP Medicare rebates from 2010-2019 have received less than 0.5 per cent average annual increase in funding from the Australian Government when compared to inflation.”

“However funding for state health systems, pharmacy and private health insurance have all kept pace with the annual health inflation rate of 5 per cent.”

The practice uses mixed billing, with free appointments available for pensioners and children under 16-years-old.

For non-bulk billed patients, Lighthouse Medical charges $80 (with $39.10 of that covered by Medicare) for short consultations – leaving a gap of $40.90.

Longer consultations are valued at $115 (with Medicare covering $75.75), resulting in a gap of $39.25.

Existing patients can contact the practice on [phone] to book an appointment.

Medical on William | 97 William St, Port Macquarie

Another Port Macquarie practice that has ceased offering bulk billing, Medical on William, charges a standard fee with Medicare rebates.

For consultations under 20 minutes, the practice charges $80 with a $38.75 rebate and gap of $41.25.

Long consultations lasting less than 40 minutes cost $115, with a rebate of $75.05 and a gap of $39.95.

Prolonged consultations will cost $150, offering a $110.50 rebate and gap or $39.50.

On the positive side, their books are currently open to new patients.

Patients can call the practice on [phone] to book an appointment, with a booking form coming to their website soon.

Port Family Practice | 3/85 Lord St, Port Macquarie

Port Family Practice, an EasyVisit clinic, currently has some availability.

While the books are closed for the practice’s doctors, their registrars – GPs in training – are welcoming new patients, however they will only be with Port Family until August.

The business offers bulk billing for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders, pensioners with a health care card, Veterans’ Affairs cardholders and children aged under 16.

Standard appointments for all other patients are valued at $75, with a rebate of $39.10, leaving a gap of $35.90.

Patients are charged $120 for longer appointments, with a Medicare refund of $75.75, resulting in $44.25 out-of-pocket.

Appointments with Port Family Practice can be booked online through Healthengine.

Port GPs | 38 Clifton Dr, Port Macquarie

Port GPs has mixed payment options available and on-the-spot rebate processing.

Two of the female doctors attached to the practice are welcoming new patients, with availabilities on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Children under 16 years of age, patients holding a Commonwealth concession card, DVA patients, and those with a GP management plan and team care arrangements are eligible for bulk billing.

For those meeting the Medicare requirements, health care assessments may also be available for free.

Prices vary based on the type of consultation, starting at $69.10 for appointments under 20 minutes and going up to $169.55 for a mental health plan visit up to 40 minutes.

However, the Medicare rebates differ so that all consultations only have a $30 out-of-pocket fee.

More information on fees, and a link to book an appointment through HotDoc, is available on the Port GPs website.

Port Macquarie Medical & Dental Centre | Cnr Park Street & Hastings River Dr, Port Macquarie

Reports from patients at Port Macquarie Medical & Dental Centre say they’ve been handed off to other doctors a number of times, due to their GP retiring or moving.

Although, even with reduced staff, the centre is still welcoming new patients.

There isn’t a bulk billing option at this practice, except for pensioners, health care and DVA gold cardholders, and children under the age of 16.

Those with a Medicare card will benefit from a $38.75 rebate on their $80 standard consultation, leaving a gap of $41.25.

You can book in to attend the practice via the ForHealth website.

The Good Shepherd | 10 Jindalee Rd, Port Macquarie

Formerly known as one of the only local doctors that bulk billed, The Good Shepherd changed to mixed payment options this month.

Children under 16-years-old, those holding a concession or DVA card, Aboriginal patients, those due for a health assessment, and anyone with a GP care plan will benefit from bulk billing.

Flu and Covid-19 vaccine appointments are also free.

Locals attending Good Shepherd will be charged $75 for short consultations, and $110 for longer consultations.

This includes a $36 out-of-pocket fee on weekdays, and $40 on weekends.

The Good Shepherd’s books are now open, and appointments can be booked online.

The Grange Family Medical Centre | Suite 1/82 Lake Rd, Port Macquarie

Grange Family Medical only has one GP with open books.

The registrar – doctor in training – has about a two-week wait for new patients looking to make an appointment.

Bulk billing is on offer for children under the age of 16, and pension/concession/DVA cardholders.

Standard consultations, lasting 20 minutes or less, cost $70, with a rebate of $37.60 and a gap of $32.40.

Longer consultations (less than 40 minutes) charge patients $105.00, getting $72.80 back from Medicare and leaving a gap of $32.20.

A prolonged consultation is valued at $140.00, with a rebate of $107.15, leaving the patient $32.85 out-of-pocket.

Appointments can be booked through Healthengine on the practice’s website.

Werin Aboriginal Corporation | 14 Lake Road, Port Macquarie

Werin, a medical clinic committed to providing culturally appropriate and holistic health and wellbeing services for Aboriginal people, is currently closed to new patients.

For out-of-towners, there is some availability, but locals who have attended a Port Macquarie practice any time in the last five years won’t be able to book an appointment with the practice.

Bulk billing is available to all patients with a valid Medicare card.

Appointments can be booked with one of Werin’s five doctors, via the website.

Westside Medical Centre | 11 Highfields Cct, Port Macquarie

Westside Medical Centre is an independent, privately-owned business, located adjacent to Port Macquarie Base Hospital.

Bulk billing is available to DVA cardholders, children under the age of 16, and aged/disability pensioners.

A standard consult (up to 20 minutes) is $80, with a Medicare rebate of $39.10, leaving a gap of $40.90.

Long consultations (20 – 40 minutes) cost $115, offering a rebate of $75.75, with a gap of $39.25.

For a prolonged consultation (over 40 minutes), patients are charged $150, with a rebate of $111.50, leaving a gap of $38.50.

The centre is currently welcoming new patients, with a five-six week wait, and appointments can be booked online and through HotDoc.