Fees and informed financial consent

Epworth HealthCare is Victoria’s largest not for profit private hospital group and charges fees for services. Hospital services include nursing care, accommodation, fees for operating theatre use, meals, and housekeeping.

Epworth has agreements with the major Australian health insurance funds. Most hospital fees are covered by private health insurance, with the exceptions of excesses, co-payments, or exclusions.

Epworth Geelong - Emergency Department fees

Initial consultation fees

All private emergency departments will charge a flat fee for your treatment that is not claimable under Medicare or private health insurance.

Epworth Geelong charges a flat fee of $270 for an initial patient consultation.

Out-of-pocket expenses

Depending on your treatment, you may also incur out-of-pocket pathology or radiology costs on top of initial consultation fees. A portion of these may be claimable under Medicare.

Fees for international patients

International patients who don’t hold a valid Medicare card will incur higher fees, an initial consultation fee of $490 applies to all international patients.

Other associated fees must be paid up front.

Please contact us for more information.

Epworth Richmond - Emergency Department fees

Epworth Richmond

Epworth Richmond charges a flat fee of $400 per patient. This out-of-pocket fee is not claimable under Medicare or private health insurance.

Depending on your treatment, you may also incur pathology or radiology costs which are on top of the out-of-pocket fee. If you hold a Medicare card, a portion of these will be claimable under Medicare.

International patients

International patients who do not hold a valid Medicare card will incur higher fees and will have to pay associated fees up front.

The initial consultation fee for international patients is $500.

From Tuesday, 9 November 2021, Epworth will be introducing a surcharge on all patient payments, including Emergency Department fees. This will apply to credit and debit card payments.

Informed Financial Consent (IFC) is a document that provides information to the patient or nominee about estimated hospital charges, insurer benefits and out of pocket costs (where applicable) are expected for the associated admission, including notification of likely out-of-pocket expenses (gaps).

This document has been prepared by our patient services team based on the information provided by you and your specialist.

Please be advised that the IFC relates to your hospital costs and does not include your doctor's or anaesthetist's fees.

As of 16 November 2022, any self-insured, maternity or orthopaedic patients, who submit their admission information in the Epworth Patient portal, will be able to sign their IFC electronically within the portal. You can open and view your IFC by clicking here in the related admission.

Please keep in mind you will need to have completed your admission details on the patient portal in order to access your IFC.

Patients who did not complete their admission in the Portal will be provided with a paper version of the IFC upon to sign on admission.

If you have more than one profile on your patient portal account, only the person listed as the primary record holder will be able to sign the IFC on behalf of the patient.

If you signed your IFC on admission, you will be given a copy after signing.

If you signed your IFC electronically it will be available for you to download as a PDF via the patient portal for up to 6 months. If you require a copy after 6 months, please contact Health Information Services here: https://www.epworth.org.au/for-patients/continuing-your-care/accessing-your-medical-records

All fees relating to medical practitioner care (excluding hospital fellows) and other non-hospital fees (see below) are charged separately.

Non-hospital fees will be billed separately and may include:

• Allied Health practitioners
• Ambulance charges
• Anaesthetist fees
• Cardio-pulmonary bypass (perfusion)
• Medical services
• Pathology
• Pharmacy
• Physiotherapy (where no arrangement exists between Epworth and your health fund)
• Radiology/X-ray
• Surgeon fees

Medicare refunds some non-hospital charges and your health fund may also cover a further portion, but you will be required to pay the balance. If you have any questions regarding these charges, please check with Medicare and your health fund.

Please contact your doctor’s office should you have a question regarding doctor fees.

It is your right to ask for information in writing regarding a doctors professional fees before you receive any service or agree to a proposed treatment.

Additional fees may include surgeon fees, surgical assistants, anaesthetists, medical services, imaging and other specialists.

Both Medicare and private health insurance contribute to anaesthesia costs. Contact your anaesthetist to get an estimate of fees and your relevant MBS item numbers.

As coverage for anaesthetist fees will vary according to your health fund policy, please get in touch with your provider and quote the fee estimate your anaesthetist has provided to you and the relevant MBS item numbers in order to receive an accurate estimate of the cost your fund will cover.

This covers the cost of your accommodation while you are in hospital. The fees include non-medical services, such as catering and housekeeping. It may also include fees for the use of an operating theatre or other hospital facilities while you are in hospital. It is not always possible to predict what the fees will be as an unexpected surgery or referral may be necessary.

Your hospital fee is generally covered by your health fund, with the exception of excesses, co-payments and exclusions associated with your level of insurance cover.

From Tuesday, 9 November 2021, Epworth will be introducing a surcharge on patient payments (e.g. ED fees, private hospital excess). This will apply to credit and debit card payments.

See below, for rates to be applied:

• EFTPOS (savings account – where card is inserted at terminal): No surcharge
• VISA / MASTERCARD DEBIT (Paypass or tap): 0.5%
• VISA / MASTERCARD CREDIT: 1.0%
• Amex: 1.4%
• Other: 1.65%

The surcharge may not be incurred in certain areas within our sites (e.g. various cafés) as these are separate businesses to Epworth.

You will be contacted by the hospital prior to your admission to inform you of any estimated out-of-pocket expenses that may apply to you. This may include excesses, co-payments and additional costs. All out-of-pocket expenses are required to be paid prior to or on your admission.

Please remember to bring a form of payment with you upon your admission.

Epworth accepts Visa, MasterCard, cash, bank cheques and EFTPOS. (NB: a surcharge on card payments may apply)

We do not accept American Express, Diners Card or personal cheques. We do, however, accept American Express at some sites. If paying by card, please ensure any daily or transactional withdrawal limits are sufficient to settle your account.

You can submit an Account enquiry online, contact one of our friendly patient service teams who can answer any further queries you may have:

Epworth Eastern and Eastern Kew

Phone: 03 8807 7772
Email: [email protected]

Epworth Freemasons

Phone: 1800 337 453
Email: [email protected]

Epworth Hawthorn

Phone: 03 9415 5720
Email: [email protected]

Epworth Richmond

Phone: 03 9426 8844
Email: [email protected]