Does my Medicare card make Doccio free?

No. Doccio's advertised consultations use the private fees shown on this page. A Medicare card does not by itself convert them to bulk-billed appointments. Check the applicable fee and any expressly confirmed rebate information before proceeding with a booking.

Is all telehealth excluded from Medicare?

No. Medicare benefits are available for eligible telehealth services. Requirements and exemptions depend on the item and circumstances. [Services Australia's guidance](https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-claim-telehealth-services-under-mbs-or-dva?context=20) is the appropriate reference; the fact that a consultation is online does not settle eligibility on its own.

Why does Doccio charge a private fee?

The service is offered under the private pricing model stated at booking rather than as a bulk-billed appointment. That explains Doccio's offer, not a universal rule for Australian doctors. You can compare it with your usual practice or another clinically appropriate provider.

Will tests requested by Doccio be free?

Not automatically. The laboratory or imaging provider, requested item and your eligibility determine the downstream billing arrangements. Ask that provider before the service is performed. The private Doccio consultation fee and any investigation charge are separate; see [tests](/tests) and [imaging](/imaging).

Should I book if I specifically need bulk billing?

Check a provider that explicitly offers the arrangement you need before booking. Doccio should not be selected on the assumption that a rebate will cancel its advertised fee. Your usual practice may help explain suitable options, and urgent concerns need the appropriate clinical pathway.

Doctor consult $59, 8am–6pm Mon–FriAfter hours $79See pricing

Doctor consult $59, 8am–6pm Mon–Fri.After hours $79.See pricing

Bulk-billing, honestly explained

Looking for a bulk-billed online doctor?

Doccio does not bulk bill its advertised online doctor consultations: the private fee is $59 during business hours or $79 after hours. Some other telehealth services can be bulk billed when the relevant requirements are met and the provider offers it. This page explains the distinction so you can compare your options before booking, rather than discovering a private charge after expecting a free appointment.

See Doccio pricing $59

Online consultations available during service hours

Private consults are $59 during business hours (8am–6pm Mon–Fri, Sydney time) and $79 outside those hours, with no rebate either way.

Business hours 8am–6pm Mon–Fri

Not for emergencies

This is a billing explainer for non-emergency care. For anything life-threatening, call 000 rather than looking for a bulk-billing service.

Services available through private consultations:Everyday doctor careWeight managementContraception adviceMigraine reviewsSpecialist referral assessmentPathology requests and resultsImaging assessment

Before you book

Doctor in teal scrubs smiling in a bright clinic room

Check the fee

confirm whether the chosen service is private or bulk billed.

Ask about eligibility

do not infer Medicare coverage from the consultation format alone.

Compare appropriate options

include your existing practice and relevant public services.

Choose knowingly

book the service that meets your clinical needs and budget.

What Doccio charges, and what Medicare means

The full Doccio consultation fee is $59 during business hours or $79 after hours. Business-hours pricing is 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday in the time zone displayed at booking. Eligible short certificates and repeat requests are separate services with different prices.

Bulk billing means the provider accepts the Medicare benefit as full payment for that service, rather than charging the patient an additional consultation fee. It is not the same as a private appointment that may attract a partial rebate. Services Australia explains the distinction.

Doccio uses the private-fee model stated here. That is not a claim that Medicare never covers telehealth or that all new patients are automatically ineligible everywhere. It also does not mean external pathology, imaging or specialist care will necessarily have the same billing arrangement.

Do not assume a rebate for a Doccio appointment unless explicitly confirmed before booking. Ask about the total likely costs of the proposed pathway, including later consultations and services provided elsewhere. A consultation fee pays for assessment and advice, not a guaranteed prescription, certificate or referral. See full pricing for the service you need.

Understanding your alternatives

Eligibility and provider choice are separate

Medicare-funded telehealth has item-specific requirements. General-practice eligibility commonly involves MyMedicare registration with the practice or a qualifying recent face-to-face relationship; exemptions also exist. Services Australia's current guidance explains the rules.

An eligible service is not automatically bulk billed. Ask the practice both whether Medicare applies and what you will actually pay, rather than treating those as the same question.

Your usual practice may be worth contacting

A practice with your records may offer a suitable appointment or explain its after-hours arrangements. Tell them what you need, whether you require an examination and whether cost is a barrier.

Do not assume that an appointment advertised as online is automatically cheaper than local care. Compare the clinical service and any follow-up costs, not just the booking channel.

Public urgent care has a different role

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics provide an option for suitable urgent, non-life-threatening problems. They are not a substitute for every routine review or administrative request. Use the official finder to check nearby services and their details.

For a medical emergency, call 000. Cost comparisons should not delay emergency assessment. If you are unsure how urgently to seek help, obtain clinical guidance rather than using a pricing page as a triage tool.

Decide with the full picture

A private online consultation may be useful when the appointment is appropriate, available and affordable for you. It is not the only route to care, and the convenience does not remove the need for examination in some situations.

Read the service scope, explain any financial concerns and ask what happens if additional assessment is needed. Clear information before booking is more useful than an apparent discount attached to a service that cannot meet the need.