Most of our services are free if you hold a Medicare card.

Hospitals

If you have a Medicare card, you can be treated as a public patient in a Metro South Health hospital, at no charge, by a doctor appointed by the hospital. You can choose to be treated as a public patient even if you are privately insured.

However, many specialist hospital services require a referral from your general practitioner before we can make an appointment for you.

Private health insurance

If you have private health insurance, you can choose to be treated at one of our hospitals as a private patient.

Ineligible patients

If you do not have a Medicare card or you are not from a country with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement, you will be billed for the cost of all treatment at our hospitals.

Oral health

Free dental treatment is available to:

• Adults who have a current Pension, Healthcare or Seniors card
• Children:
  • all children between the ages of 4 through to year 10
  • students in year 11 and 12 who have a current Centrelink, Healthcare or Pension card
  • 0-3 year olds whose parents have a current Centrelink, Healthcare or Pension card
  • 2-17 year olds who are eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.

Read more about Oral Health Service eligibility.

Medicines

When the hospital pharmacy supplies you with medicines, you will be charged in the same way that you pay for prescriptions at your community pharmacy.

An invoice will be included with your new supplies or sent to your home address. Please advise staff if you have a concession card or if your home address has changed.

If you have a Medicare card, some of your medicine may be subsidised the Australian Government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. This means you will only have to pay for part of the cost of the medicine.