f you’ve attended an Alevia appointment that was bulk billed and recently received a text message asking you to confirm something, you might have wondered: is this legitimate? Do I actually need to do anything?
The short answer is yes — and here’s why.
Alevia’s commitment to bulk billing
At Alevia, we know that cost can be a real barrier to accessing quality obesity medicine care. That’s why we’re committed to bulk billing your initial consultation with us, and from time to time, brief follow-up consultations — for example, if you need a short check-in around medication side effects.
This hasn’t changed. What has changed is a requirement around how bulk billing is formally confirmed.
A bit of background: what is bulk billing, exactly?
Bulk billing (also called direct billing) is an arrangement where your doctor accepts your Medicare benefit as full payment for a consultation — meaning you pay nothing out of pocket. Rather than you receiving the Medicare rebate and paying your doctor, your doctor claims it directly from Medicare on your behalf.
Legally, this requires your formal agreement each time it happens. This isn’t a new concept — it has actually been a requirement since Medicare began. What’s changed recently is how that agreement needs to be recorded.
So what’s actually changed?
During COVID, the government introduced a temporary measure allowing verbal agreement for bulk billing — particularly for telehealth consultations. That flexibility has now been wound back, and formal processes are being reinstated.
Under the current rules, your agreement to assign your Medicare benefit to your doctor must be obtained after each consultation, and it needs to be documented — not just noted verbally.
In plain terms: you now need to actively confirm that you’re happy to be bulk billed, rather than it simply happening in the background.
How do you give your approval?
It’s simple, and it only takes a few seconds. There are two ways, depending on your appointment type:
If you’re attending in person: When you check in or finalise your visit, you’ll be asked to tap Yes on the Tyro payment terminal to confirm your agreement to the Medicare benefit assignment.
If you’re attending via telehealth: After your consultation, you’ll receive a secure SMS from our clinic. The message will ask you to click a link, verify your date of birth, and then select Accept to confirm the assignment of your Medicare benefit. You’ll also have the option to download a copy of the form for your own records.
That’s it. One tap or one click, and it’s done.
A few things worth knowing
You’ll receive the SMS after every bulk billed appointment. This isn’t a one-off — Medicare requires your consent to be obtained after each individual consultation. So if you attend regularly and we bulk bill your visit, you can expect this message each time.
The message is secure. The SMS will come from a dedicated number linked to our clinic. You’ll be asked to verify your date of birth before anything is displayed, as an added privacy measure.
You can decline. If you choose not to approve the benefit assignment, that’s okay — our team will be in touch to discuss an alternative payment arrangement.
It’s not optional for us either. This is a compliance requirement under the Health Insurance Act. Clinics that don’t obtain formal benefit assignment documentation risk audit and compliance issues with Medicare. We take our responsibilities seriously, and this process is part of making sure everything is above board for both you and us.
Why does this matter to your care at Alevia?
We want your experience with us to be as smooth and straightforward as possible. We also want to be transparent about why processes change — because we think you deserve to understand what’s happening with your healthcare, not just be told what to do.
Obesity medicine is complex, long-term, and deeply personal. The administrative side of things should never be a source of confusion or concern. If you have any questions about a message you’ve received, or about your billing arrangements with us, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our reception team — we’re always happy to help.
The Alevia team
This post is for general information purposes only. Medicare rules and billing arrangements can change — if you have specific questions about your entitlements, you can contact Services Australia on 132 011 or visit servicesaustralia.gov.au.
