Does my referral cover a full skin check in subsequent consultations?

Not necessarily.

Under Medicare requirements, a referral covers a single course of treatment for the referred condition.

A subsequent consultation must therefore relate to the continuing assessment or management of that same course of treatment.

Not necessarily.

A full skin check is a broader clinical assessment involving examination of the entire skin surface and may identify new or unrelated conditions.

If your existing referral relates to a specific condition or concern, a requested full skin check may fall outside that course of treatment.

If the full skin check represents a new or unrelated condition or course of treatment, a new referral is required for Medicare benefits to be claimed.

An indefinite referral does not automatically extend to new or unrelated dermatological conditions that arise in the future.

Possibly.

If a full skin check involves a broader clinical assessment outside your existing course of treatment, a consultation fee of $320 may apply instead of the usual $215 subsequent consultation fee.

There may be circumstances where a broader examination is clinically necessary as part of assessing or managing the condition covered by your existing referral.

Your dermatologist will determine whether the examination forms part of your existing course of treatment based on the clinical circumstances.