Online/telehealth doctor services

Telehealth providers

When you’re feeling sick and need medical advice, the fastest and easiest way is to consult a telehealth medical provider. With telehealth consults, you talk to a medical practitioner by video or telephone from the comfort of your own home.

Whether you need a health consultation, medical certificate, referral letter or prescription, these services are available on demand (during extended hours) or by appointment. If you need a prescription your doctor will send it to a pharmacy of your choice.

If you consult with a telehealth provider we have an agreement with, we’ll cover 100% of the agreed rate. Which means, there are no out-of-pocket costs you need to pay. CBHS International Health has agreements with a number of different telehealth providers. To find one, visit our website or call us on 1300 174 537.

For non-agreement providers, we’ll cover up to 100% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Fee, where an MBS item number is provided, except where an exclusion applies.

Face-to-face doctor services (Choice Network)

You can visit any doctor, GP and other medical service provider within our Choice Network, and we’ll cover up to 100% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Fee, except for services where an exclusion applies.

When you visit a GP we have an agreement with, it may help reduce or eliminate the out-of-pocket costs. However, there may be some circumstances where there may be a small gap fee you need to pay such as GP’s charging more than the MBS Fee, new patient registrations and consults during after-hours, weekends and public holidays.

1. Find a doctor in the Choice Network or call  1300 174 537 (visitors).


2. Call and book an appointment with a clinic. Let them know you're a CBHS International Health member.


3. If you're seeing this doctor for the first time, arrive a few minutes early to fill in some forms.


4. Remember to take your CBHS International Health membership card and photo ID with you and the medical centre may bill us directly.

Outside of the Choice Network

You can visit a medical centre or other medical service provider that is not part of the CBHS International Health network. This may attract out-of-pocket expenses. When you call to book an appointment, ask how much it will cost.

After paying for the consultation, ask for a receipt and submit a claim through the CBHS International mobile app. Simply search “CBHS International” in the app store. Once you submit a claim you should typically expect to receive the benefit within 3 to 5 business days if it's a Medical claim. For Hospital claims, the hospital can expect to receive payment within and up to 28 calendar days after submitting their bill.

For face-to-face doctor consults and specialist doctors, receive up to 100% of the MBS Fee, except where an exclusion applies.

What if the medical centre is closed or it's after-hours?

If it’s not an emergency, you should first seek a consult with a qualified doctor from our after-hours service providers.

All public hospitals in Australia have a 24-hour emergency department where you can get help after-hours and on the weekend.

Medical treatment can be expensive

Most overseas workers who come to Australia to work cannot access Medicare, which may lead to large out-of-pocket costs if they require medical treatment. Depending on the type of cover you choose, your OVHC can help pay towards your medical costs if you get sick or have an accident. In most cases, hospital treatment can be very expensive with substantial out-of-pocket costs.

Public hospital costs: For treatment at a public hospital, we will the pay the Gazetted Rate determined by State and Territory health authorities for:

• Shared ward accommodation for overnight or same-day stays.
• Operating theatre, intensive care, labour ward fees and in-patient supplied medicine.
• Reimbursement of emergency department facility fees where attendance leads to an admission into hospital. For OVHC Worker Base Hospital cover, no benefit is payable where attendance does not lead to an admission into hospital.
• Accident and post-operative services. No benefit is payable where an exclusion applies.

If you hold an Overseas Worker Mid Hospital & Medical or Overseas Worker Top Hospital & Medical, you can only claim on services* provided if there is a MBS number or a description of the services on the receipt. If the receipt states your treatment as ‘Medicare ineligible’ and no other details, the maximum benefit will be $160.

How do medical payments work?

The Australian Government has set a recommended fee for most medical services, such as visiting your doctor. This is called the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). If your doctor charges the recommended MBS fee, we will provide you with a benefit* of the full amount. However, if the doctor charges more than the recommended fee, you will have to pay the difference. We call this an ‘out-of-pocket expense’ or ‘gap’ payment.

Visit any doctor from the CBHS International Health online doctors page or within our Choice Network and we’ll cover up to 100% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Fee^*.

If you visit a doctor in a medical centre or other medical service provider that is not part of the CBHS International Health network, you may have to pay out-of-pocket expenses. When you call to book an appointment, ask how much it will cost. We’ll cover up to 100% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Fee^*. After paying for the consultation, ask for a receipt (ensure your name is on it!) and submit a claim through the CBHS International mobile app. Simply search “CBHS International” in the app store.

If the claim is submitted as unpaid or the receipt is not included with the claim, the benefit will be paid directly to the provider. You’ll need to contact the provider directly to request the refund. If you've already paid for the service, you must include the payment receipt with the claim.

Once you submit a claim we’ll assess your claim within three-five business days. Please note, if we are paying claim benefits to you, it may take a few more business days for the claim payment to reach your Australian bank account. For hospital claims, the hospital can expect to receive payment within 28 calendar days after submitting their bill.

In-hospital medical treatment

We recommend you obtain Informed Financial Consent. Before you receive your treatment, you’re entitled to ask your doctor, health care provider and hospital about any extra money you may have to pay out of your own pocket, commonly known as a ‘gap’ payment. Knowing how much your treatment will cost is called Informed Financial Consent.

Hospital costs:

Agreement private hospital: For treatment at an agreement private hospital, we will cover 100% of the cost as set out in our agreement with the hospital, except for restricted benefits or where an exclusion applies:

• Private or shared accommodation for overnight or same-day stays.
• Operating theatre, intensive care, labour ward fees and in-patient supplied medicine.
• Reimbursement of emergency department facility fees where attendance leads to an admission into hospital. Maximum Benefit of $160 for Overseas Worker Base Hospital.
• Reimbursement of emergency department facility fees where attendance does not lead to an admission into hospital. Maximum Benefit is $160 for Overseas Worker Mid and Top Hospital and Medical cover. For Overseas Worker Base Hospital cover, no benefit is payable.
  

Benefits for restricted services

Services for restricted benefits: Hospital accommodation benefits are reduced to Minimum Benefits and no benefits are payable for theatre fees, intensive care and labour ward. No benefit is payable where an exclusion applies.

Non-agreement private hospital: Please note that if you have treatment at a non-agreement private hospital, we will only pay the Minimum Benefit rate as prescribed by the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirement) Rules and no benefit is payable for theatre, intensive care and labour ward fees. You may have to pay high out-of-pocket costs.

• Benefits are paid towards:
• Shared ward accommodation for overnight or same-day stays.
• In-patient supplied medicine.
• Reimbursement of emergency department facility fees where attendance leads to an admission into hospital. Maximum Benefit of $160 for Overseas Worker Base Hospital cover.
• Reimbursement of emergency department facility fees where attendance does not lead to an admission into hospital. Maximum Benefit is $160 for Overseas Worker Mid and Top Hospital and Medical cover. For Overseas Worker Base Hospital cover, no benefit is payable. No benefit is payable where an exclusion applies. Theatre, intensive care and labour ward fees are not covered.

Public hospital: For treatment at a public hospital, we will the pay the Gazetted Rate determined by State and Territory health authorities for:

• Shared ward accommodation for overnight or same-day stays.
• Operating theatre, intensive care, labour ward fees and in-patient supplied medicine.
• Reimbursement of emergency department facility fees where attendance leads to an admission into hospital. For OVHC Worker Base Hospital cover, no benefit is payable where attendance does not lead to an admission into hospital.
• Accident and post-operative services.
  

No benefit is payable where an exclusion applies.

Fees for services provided by doctors, surgeons or anaesthetists: If you’re admitted to hospital and receive services from doctors, surgeons or anaesthetists, we’ll pay 100% of the MBS Fee, except for services where an  exclusion applies. Please note, if the provider charges more than the MBS Fee you will be required to pay the difference.

Make sure the hospital provides you with all the details of the services you received so that CBHS International Health can pay you benefits when you submit your claim. If this information isn’t provided, you may have substantial out-of-pocket costs.

What if my doctor prescribes medication?

Your doctor may prescribe medicine as part of your treatment. To do this, the doctor will give you a prescription to take to the pharmacy. A prescription is a piece of paper that identifies the medication the doctor would like you to take, as well as the instructions on how and when the medicine should be taken. Take the prescription to the pharmacy or chemist, and they’ll give you the right medicine. Ask the pharmacist to explain how to use the medicine, if you aren’t sure, before you go home. You’ll need to pay for the medicine at the pharmacy, and can claim some of the cost back if:

• The medicine is listed on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS); and
• You haven’t used all your pharmaceutical benefits on your policy.