Are online referrals bulk billed?
Yes — at Clinic Online, referrals for pathology (blood tests), radiology (X-ray, ultrasound and CT) and specialists are issued within a standard GP consultation, and that consultation is bulk billed for most Australians with a valid Medicare card. That makes the referral itself $0 out of pocket for most patients. The test, scan or specialist appointment is then billed separately by the provider you attend — many pathology tests are bulk billed at collection centres, while imaging and specialist billing varies by provider.
The referral is part of the consultation
There is no per-document fee at Clinic Online. Whatever referrals are clinically appropriate — pathology, imaging, specialist, or several at once — they're issued within the one GP consultation and sent to you electronically.
For most Australians with a valid Medicare card, that consultation is bulk billed, so the referral costs nothing out of pocket — and you'll know before choosing your consult type. If you're not eligible, a flat $45 covers the consultation and any referrals the GP issues.
Blood tests: what the collection centre charges
Pathology in Australia is widely bulk billed. Many collection centres bulk bill Medicare-rebateable tests ordered by a GP, which means the common workups — cholesterol, iron, blood glucose, STI screening and similar — often cost nothing end to end: a $0 referral and a $0 test.
Billing does vary by provider and test type, so it's worth confirming with the collection centre when you book. You can take your referral to the provider of your choice.
X-rays, ultrasounds and CT scans
Imaging billing varies more than pathology. Many radiology clinics bulk bill some Medicare-rebateable scans, while others charge a gap depending on the scan type — ask the clinic when you book. Your referral is valid at the imaging provider of your choice.
Specialist appointments
A valid GP referral is what unlocks the Medicare rebate on a specialist consultation — without one, Medicare generally pays nothing toward the specialist's fee. Your Clinic Online GP can issue a referral to a named specialist or as an open referral.
Specialists set their own fees: some bulk bill, many charge a gap above the Medicare rebate. The referral itself, though, is covered by your bulk-billed Clinic Online consultation for most Medicare card holders.