When you need to see a gp or a medical specialist do you pay with cash or use a card?
Here in Australia everyone has a 'Medicare' card and you're asked to provide it when paying for any Gp or medical specialist service, then the government gets to record the interaction in a database and you get 'refunded' the 'basic fee' (which is usually much less than what you're actually getting charged).
To 'pay' you are expected to then present a debit or credit card which is run through the medical EFT POS terminal which takes the full amount out, and then you get the medicare amount re-credited.
But if you want to pay with cash, you get very confused looks as you are 'bypassing' the electronic systems. 8-) Should you pay the *full* amount, or only the 'gap' amount (the extra you're being charged above the 'standard fee')? To get the medicare amount refunded, you then have to fill in a form and send (by mail) or use a smartphone app. It's made to be *deliberately* difficult.
How does paying for a GP or specialist medical service work where you live?
To 'pay' you are expected to then present a debit or credit card which is run through the medical EFT POS terminal which takes the full amount out, and then you get the medicare amount re-credited.
But if you want to pay with cash, you get very confused looks as you are 'bypassing' the electronic systems. 8-) Should you pay the *full* amount, or only the 'gap' amount (the extra you're being charged above the 'standard fee')? To get the medicare amount refunded, you then have to fill in a form and send (by mail) or use a smartphone app. It's made to be *deliberately* difficult.
How does paying for a GP or specialist medical service work where you live?
