Patient guide
What a telehealth clinic charges, and what it bills separately
Clinics publish their fees in different ways, so two prices that look comparable can cover different things. This checklist sets out what a consultation fee usually covers, what sits outside it, and the questions that let you compare clinics on the same terms. It is general information, not financial advice.
Medicare rules checked against MBS Online on 27 October 2026. LeafLine Clinic fees as published on our fees page.
The short answer
- A telehealth clinic’s consultation fee pays for the appointment with the practitioner and the clinical work around it. The medicine is a separate purchase from the pharmacy, at a price the pharmacy sets.
- Compare the cost of a year of care: the first consultation, the follow-ups and how often you will need them. The first fee alone tells you little.
- Ask whether approval paperwork, repeat prescriptions or letters carry a separate charge. LeafLine Clinic does not charge separately for approval paperwork.
- A first telehealth consultation with a new clinic usually attracts no Medicare rebate. Medicare telehealth items generally need a face-to-face visit with the practice in the previous 12 months, a rule extended to further items from 1 November 2025.
- Read the cancellation and late-arrival terms before you pay, because most clinics take the fee at booking.
Changing clinics
Moving your care from another clinic?
Our changing clinics page explains what to bring: your current prescription details and, if you have one, a treatment summary. A LeafLine Clinician reviews your history at a first consultation and decides what happens next.
Start here
Who you pay, and for what
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The clinic charges for consultations
The fee covers your time with the practitioner, the assessment, the notes and any care plan written up afterwards. A clinic should publish every consultation type and its price before you book.
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The pharmacy charges for the medicine
If a prescription is issued, the pharmacy that dispenses it sets the price and you pay the pharmacy. A clinic does not control that figure and should say so plainly.
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Medicare rarely contributes
Medicare telehealth items carry eligibility rules that a new patient seen only by telehealth usually does not meet. Expect to pay the full fee yourself unless a clinic tells you otherwise in writing.
The checklist
What to ask every clinic, with LeafLine Clinic's answers
| Item | What to ask | LeafLine Clinic |
|---|---|---|
| First consultation | What does the first appointment cost, and is any of it refunded if you are found not suitable? | $29 for new patients, usually $79. If your Clinician finds at your first consultation that you are not suitable, the $29 is refunded in full. |
| Follow-up consultations | What does each follow-up cost, how long is it, and how often does the clinic expect you to come back? | Repeat long consultation $69 (20 minutes). Repeat short consultation $59 (10 to 15 minutes). |
| Moving from another clinic | Is there a separate fee for patients transferring their care? | Transfer consultation $9, for patients who hold a current prescription from another Australian clinic. If your Clinician cannot confirm a current prescription from another Australian clinic at the consultation, the $9 transfer price does not apply. |
| Packages | Does the clinic sell bundles, and what exactly do they include? | Bundle $200 for an initial consultation plus three follow-up consultations. While the first-consultation price applies, booking each consultation separately may cost less. |
| Approval paperwork and letters | Is there a separate charge for preparing an approval application, a repeat prescription or a letter? | No separate charge for approval paperwork. Any application your Clinician makes follows a consultation you have already paid for. |
| The medicine | Who sets the price of the medicine and who do you pay? | Not included in any consultation fee. The dispensing pharmacy sets the price and you pay the pharmacy. LeafLine Clinic does not sell medicines. |
| Medicare and insurance | Does a Medicare rebate apply, and can you claim anything from private health insurance? | Fees are private and no Medicare rebate applies. Some private health insurers offer rebates for telehealth consultations; check with your insurer. |
| Payment timing | When do you pay, and how? | In full by credit or debit card at the time of booking. |
LeafLine Clinic figures as published on our fees page on 27 October 2026. $29 initial consultation for new patients, usually $79. If your Clinician finds at your first consultation that you are not suitable, the $29 is refunded in full. 18+. Eligibility criteria apply. Offer may end without notice.
Inside and outside the fee
What the consultation fee usually covers
A consultation fee pays for the practitioner's time and the work attached to it: reading what you sent beforehand, the assessment during the call, the clinical notes afterwards and a care plan where one is appropriate. Ask whether the paperwork that follows, such as an approval application or a letter to your GP, is included or charged as a separate item. Our post on what a telehealth consultation fee covers goes through each part in more detail.
The medicine always sits outside the consultation fee. If a prescription is issued, the pharmacy that dispenses it sets the price and you pay the pharmacy. A clinic cannot honestly quote you that figure in advance, because it does not set it. If a clinic quotes one figure for both, ask what each part is.
The first fee is the smallest part of the picture. Ongoing care means follow-up appointments, and the number you need depends on your circumstances and what your practitioner recommends. When you compare clinics, multiply the follow-up fee by the number of reviews a year you expect, then add the first consultation.
Medicare and insurance
Why most telehealth-only consultations attract no rebate
A Medicare benefit is paid only when a service matches an item on the Medicare Benefits Schedule and meets that item's conditions. Medicare telehealth consultation items generally need an established clinical relationship with the practice, a rule that applied to GP telehealth first and was extended to further telehealth items from 1 November 2025. That means one face-to-face consultation with that practitioner or another practitioner at the same practice in the 12 months before the telehealth service. A short list of exemptions applies. If neither applies, the service is not eligible for Medicare benefits.
A new patient who has never seen the practice in person does not meet that test unless an exemption applies, so the consultation is billed privately and you pay the whole fee. The Medical Board of Australia's telehealth guidelines expect practitioners to explain the billing arrangements before a consultation, including whether you can access a Medicare rebate, and to get your financial consent. If a clinic is unclear about it, ask for the answer in writing. LeafLine Clinic's fees are private and no Medicare rebate applies.
Private health insurance is a separate question. Some insurers offer rebates for some telehealth consultations under some policies, and only your insurer can tell you what yours covers. Ask before you book, and keep the itemised receipt. Our post on understanding telehealth costs in Australia has more on rebates and the costs that tend to surface later.
The cancellation window and the late-arrival rule are part of the price.
Cancellations
Read the cancellation terms before you pay
Most telehealth clinics take payment at booking, so the cancellation terms decide what happens to your money if plans change. Look for three things: how much notice you need to give for a full refund, what a late cancellation costs, and how the clinic treats a missed or late appointment. A policy that exists only over the phone can change without notice, so ask for it in writing.
LeafLine Clinic's terms are published in full. Cancel more than 48 hours before the appointment and you get a full refund or a reschedule without penalty. Cancel within 48 hours and a fee of 50% of the consultation fee may apply. Missing the appointment without notice forfeits the full fee, and joining more than 15 minutes late may be treated as a missed appointment with the full fee still applying. If the clinic cancels and cannot reschedule within a reasonable time, the fee is refunded.
Before you book
Get every answer in writing
A clinic that publishes its whole fee schedule, its cancellation terms and a plain statement about Medicare has given you what you need to compare it. If any of the questions above gets a vague answer, ask again by email so you have the reply on record. Every LeafLine Clinic fee and the full cancellation policy are on our fees page, and you can check a clinic's practitioners and business details using our post on how to check a telehealth clinic is legitimate.
Current at 27 October 2026. General information, not financial advice. Sources: MBS Online, quick reference guide on the telehealth eligibility changes from 1 November 2025 (last updated 23 October 2025, read 27 October 2026); Medical Board of Australia, Guidelines: Telehealth consultations with patients (page reviewed 1 September 2023, read 27 October 2026); LeafLine Clinic fees page and terms and conditions. Medicare rules change; check MBS Online or ask Services Australia before relying on a rebate.
Telehealth fees: common questions
How much does a telehealth consultation cost in Australia?
It depends on the clinic and the type of appointment, and private clinics set their own fees. Compare published schedules rather than headline prices, and count follow-ups as well as the first visit. At LeafLine Clinic a first consultation is $29 for new patients (usually $79) and follow-ups are $59 or $69. This is general information, not financial advice.
Is a telehealth consultation covered by Medicare?
Only when the service matches a Medicare item and its conditions. Medicare telehealth consultation items generally require that you have had a face-to-face consultation with that practitioner or another practitioner at the same practice in the previous 12 months, unless an exemption applies, and from 1 November 2025 that rule covers further telehealth items as well as GP items. If neither applies, no Medicare benefit is payable, so a new patient seen only by telehealth usually pays the full fee.
Does the consultation fee include the medicine?
Generally not. The consultation fee pays for the appointment. If a prescription is issued, the pharmacy that dispenses it sets the price and you pay the pharmacy directly. At LeafLine Clinic no consultation fee includes any medicine, and the clinic does not sell medicines.
Do I pay extra for the approval application?
Ask each clinic whether it charges separately. LeafLine Clinic does not charge separately for approval paperwork; any application your Clinician makes follows a consultation you have already paid for.
Can I claim a telehealth consultation on private health insurance?
Some private health insurers offer rebates for some telehealth consultations, and cover varies between insurers and policies. Ask your insurer before you book, and ask the clinic for an itemised receipt you can submit.
What happens if I cancel a telehealth appointment?
Each clinic sets its own terms. At LeafLine Clinic, cancelling more than 48 hours ahead gets a full refund or a reschedule without penalty, cancelling within 48 hours may incur a fee of 50% of the consultation fee, and missing the appointment without notice forfeits the full fee. Joining more than 15 minutes late may be treated as a missed appointment.
What should I ask a telehealth clinic about fees before booking?
Ask for the full schedule of consultation types, how often follow-ups are expected, whether paperwork or letters cost extra, who sets the price of any medicine, whether a Medicare rebate applies, and what the cancellation and refund terms are. A clinic should answer all of these in writing before you pay.
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