For an initial appointment
A referral from your GP is needed before we can book an initial appointment. All initial appointments are in person, not by video. If your GP hasn’t sent one yet, please ask them to send it to admin@waggawaggarheumatology.com.au.
Once we have the referral, Dr Elaine Ng will review it and a team member will contact you within 5 business days to arrange an appointment. Having a referral doesn’t guarantee an appointment, but we will be in touch once it has been reviewed.
Before your appointment
Please complete our patient registration and consent form, which will be sent to your phone and email, prior to the appointment.
You will need a current referral from your GP or another specialist to claim a Medicare rebate. GP referrals last for 12 months, and specialist referrals last for 3 months.
On the day of your appointment, please bring:
- Your referral letter
- Your Medicare card (and concession/pension card if applicable)
- A list of your current medications (including over-the-counter and complementary medicines)
- Any recent blood test results and imaging (or details of where they were done)
- Any previous correspondence from a rheumatologist
What to expect
Your first appointment is up to 60 minutes. Dr Ng will take a detailed history, examine you, and may arrange tests or perform a bedside procedure if appropriate. A management plan is developed with you and communicated to your nominated providers.
Follow-up appointments are shorter (15–30 minutes).
Telehealth
Follow-up consultations may be available by telehealth where clinically appropriate. Initial consultations are conducted in person only.
Fees and billing
Consultations are privately billed, and prices will vary depending on the complexity of the consultation. With a valid referral, a Medicare rebate applies, and the difference between the fee and the rebate (the “gap”) is your out-of-pocket cost.
Fee Schedule
| Appointment type (MBS item) | Consultation Fee | Pension and Concession | Medicare Rebate (Valid in 2026) |
| Initial (110, 132) | $410-$510 | $300-$400 | $134.05- $234.34 |
| Follow up (116, 133) | $200-$250 | $150-$200 | $67.05-$117.35 |
Extended Medicare Safety Net
We understand that healthcare costs can add up—especially when managing a chronic condition. The Medicare Safety Net can help reduce some of the out-of-pocket costs for specialist care provided outside of hospital.
The Extended Medicare Safety Net (EMSN) gives you extra rebates from Medicare once your total out-of-pocket costs for eligible out-of-hospital services reach a set threshold within a calendar year.
This includes:
• Specialist appointments
• Blood tests, scans, and other diagnostic services
For 2026, the EMSN thresholds are:
- $861.20 for people who have a concession card or get Family Tax Benefit Part A
- $2,699.10 for others.
These thresholds are based on your total out-of-pocket costs for eligible services in a calendar year.
Once you reach your threshold, Medicare will refund up to 80% of your out-of-pocket costs for the rest of the year.
For Families & Couples
If you’re part of a couple or family, you can register with Medicare to pool your out-of-pocket costs. This helps you reach the threshold sooner—regardless of whether you have a concession card or receive family benefits. Even if all family members are listed on the same Medicare card, you still need to register with Services Australia to create a combined Medicare Safety Net family account.
What Patients Can Do
• Check your Medicare app or myGov to see how close you are to the threshold
• Register as a family with Medicare if you haven’t already
Appointments and cancellations
If you need to cancel or reschedule, please give us as much notice as possible — at least 24 hours — so the appointment can be offered to another patient. Fees may apply for late cancellations within 24 hours.