Bulk billing starts from 6pm*
Bulk billing starts from 6pm
Bulk billing starts from 6pm
Medically reviewed by Dr Ammar Al-Ani
MBChB, CCBST, AMC, General Practitioner, 28+ Years of Experience
Updated in June 2026
‘Free’ online doctor in Australia actually means ‘bulk billed’. Nothing is ‘free’ in healthcare, and someone always pays. What ‘free online doctor’ can actually mean in Australia is:
Tip: Be cautious of services offering ‘FREE online doctor service’. Reputable healthcare services say plainly – We bulk bill these services to all eligible Medicare patients.
To get a bulk-billed online consult, you usually need three things:
| What patients pay nothing for at bulk-billed online consult | What patients pay for at a bulk-billed consult |
| Consultation cost is zero | Services like med cert and referrals usually are not bulk billed. |
| The decision-making, the assessment, and the mental health care plan are included in consultation | Specialist consults after a referral. Even pathology and imaging at the labs. It is always good to call the imaging or pathology lab to confirm if they offer bulk billing. |
| Any script or mental health care plan issued during the consult has no extra charge | You pay for the medication at the pharmacy or during home delivery |
Tip: It is always good to check with the healthcare service to know what’s included and what’s not. Most transparent telehealth services like Hola Health mention pricing, eligibility, and service scope clearly in advance.
The phrase “bulk billed” should appear on the healthcare service’s website. Hola Health plainly mentions the bulk billing service wherever available. To maintain transparency, Hola Health also mentions the Medicare card is mandatory, and timing applies for after-hours services like general consult, urgent care and script online. Here’s what to look for and what to avoid:
| What to look for | What to be cautious about |
| Clear mentions like – “Bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card” | Mentions ‘Free’ doctor services |
| Clear mentions of timing, services and eligibility (for Hola – 11pm to 6:45am, 7 days a week), urgent care, medical advice in the after-hours period for eligible Medicare cardholders) | Fees are buried in terms and conditions and not stated upfront |
| AHPRA-registered high-quality doctors and medical practitioners (verifiable on the public register at ahpra.gov.au), an Australian-incorporated business, owned and founded with a local office in Australia | Practitioners not on the AHPRA register |
| ADHA-registered and Records governed by Australian privacy law | Not located in Australia or does not have the legal right to operate in Australia |
The clinical approach is similar — your doctor or medical practitioner takes a history, asks questions, makes a clinical assessment, and issues prescriptions, medical certificates or referrals if appropriate. However, telehealth cannot replace a physical examination. If an in-person assessment is needed, your practitioner will advise you.
What this means in practice:
Yes, Hola Health offers bulk billing services on after-hours care for consultation, urgent care and scripts. A valid Medicare card is needed, and timing applies to bulk billing services (11pm to 6:45am, 7 days a week).
Important to note:
Know more about Hola Health bulk billing service