Patient fees and billing

If you have a valid Medicare card, most of the medical and healthcare services you receive as a public patient at Western Health will be covered. 

Some out-of-pocket expenses may still apply, including:

• medicines dispensed by the hospital pharmacy
• mobility aids or homecare equipment, such as medical boots and bed frames
• Radiology.

As a Medicare Ineligible Patient, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have health insurance or adequate funding to cover the cost of your health care.

You will need to pay for any medical treatment or care at Western Health. 

When to organise payment

You will need to organise payment with our Patient Liaison Officer before receiving treatment or care.

How much you may pay

Charges vary depending on the treatment provided and whether you have private health insurance.

Estimates

Where possible, we will provide you with an estimate before treatment.

Urgent or emergency situations

In urgent or emergency situations, treatment may proceed without prior approval, and full payment will still be required upfront.

Find out more

For more information on what to expect and how to plan for your care, visit the Medicare-ineligible patients page. 

If your visit to hospital is a result of a workplace or transport accident, most of your costs will be covered if:

• you have a valid claim with WorkCover or the Transport Accident Commission
• the services you receive are covered under your claim.

If you have an outstanding account with Western Health, it may be referred to AusHealth, our authorised partner for managing unpaid accounts.

AusHealth manages this process on our behalf, including any queries, payment plans, or settlement discussions. Once your account has been referred to AusHealth, all further communication and payment arrangements must be made directly with them. Western Health is unable to negotiate payment terms or resolve account matters after the referral.

How AusHealth May Contact You

To help you recognise legitimate communication and protect yourself from scams, please refer to the verification details below.

Emails:

Emails will come from: [email protected]

Replies may come from AusHealth staff, such as Team Leaders, using direct email addresses, such as [email protected].

Phone Calls:

Calls may come from these numbers:

• 03 9468 6200 (Melbourne)
• 08 8132 7420 or 08 8132 7400 (South Australia)

Occasionally, calls may come from private numbers or mobile phones if contact can’t be made via landline.

Text Messages (SMS):

Texts will only be sent from:

• 0428 743 057
• 0456 664 325

You can reply directly to these numbers.

Letters:

Letters will display both the Western Health and AusHealth logos for easy identification.

If you are contacted through these methods, please know it is a legitimate attempt to resolve your unpaid Western Health account.

How to Stay Safe:

If you're ever unsure whether a message or call is legitimate:

• Visit Western Health’s website for official information
• Contact us directly on 03 9057 8241 between 8.00am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. 

More Information

• Learn more at: AusHealth Website
• Make a payment at: Payments – AusHealth

Western Health interpreting services: 03 8345 7147

Payment options are available on your bottom on your invoice. These include phone, BPAY and Australia Post. Other payment options may be available subject to campus location.

Pay by phone

Contact Patient Accounts to pay by debit or credit card for all hospital services on (03) 9057 8241.

Pay in person

Payments can be made by credit card or EFTPOS. Please contact our Patient Liaison Officers to arrange.

Pay by web banking

Payment can be made via our web banking service, using Visa or Mastercard. Please ensure all mandatory fields are filled in for the payment to be processed.

Paying for pathology services

If you’ve received an invoice from Dorevitch Pathology, find out how you can pay for these services.

We’re here to help. Please get in touch via phone or email if you need any assistance or further information. 

Phone: (03) 9057 8241 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm)

Email: See below for which address to use.

Medicare-ineligible patients (overseas visitors)
Email: [email protected]

To request a Patient Liaison Officer (for upcoming or admitted overseas patients)
Email: [email protected]

Workcover/TAC patients 
Email: [email protected]

Privately insured patients
Email: [email protected]

Please provide us the following information:

• patient’s full name
• their date of birth
• invoice number where possible
• date of service/admission.