No, you do NOT need to have Medicare to book a GP appointment, though by providing your Medicare details it allows your doctor to provide you with useful services such as ePrescriptions (eScripts), as well as including your Medicare details on pathology requests or specialist referrals so that you can access Medicare rebates. Therefore if you have Medicare card, it is very helpful if you enter your details when registering.

Visitors from overseas can still use Qoctor to book a GP appointment, if they need medical assistance or advice whilst travelling in Australia. Medicare is not required.

Unfortunately it is not possible for telehealth providers like Qoctor to offer Medicare rebates for most telehealth appointments, due to the Medicare “12 month face to face rule”. This is a legislative requirement that GPs and Other Medical Practitioners (OMPs) working in general practice can only perform a telehealth or telephone service where they have an established clinical relationship with the patient, and have seen them in person in the past 12 months. There are limited exemptions to this requirement, such as mental health treatment plans.