At Bundaberg Hearing, we specialise in providing expert hearing health services to the Bundaberg community.

For some people, the cost of accessing our services is free or subsidised. Other patients pay full cost. How much your hearing test costs will depend on your eligibility for funding through the Medicare health program or one of the other funding pathways, such as via the Australian Government Hearing Services Program.

On this page, you’ll find information about the funding options available and general eligibility criteria. If you’re looking for up-to-date information about your eligibility, we encourage you to get in touch with a member of our team.

Basic Hearing Check vs. Comprehensive Diagnostic Hearing Assessment

There are two different types of hearing tests: basic hearing checks and comprehensive diagnostic hearing assessments.

Basic Hearing Checks

Basic hearing checks include a quick screening that flags potential issues using a simple pass/fail criteria at 4 frequencies. They typically don’t include a diagnosis and are often provided free as a lead for a company to get potential customers through the door. If you’ve seen a catch-all ‘free hearing test Bundaberg’ offer, it will almost certainly have been for a basic hearing check.

Hearing Assessments

Comprehensize diagnostic hearing assesment

A comprehensive diagnostic hearing assessment is much more thorough than a basic hearing check. They include in-depth otoscopy, air and bone pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, tympanometry and sometimes acoustic reflex testing that allows the audiologist to create a much fuller image of the patient’s auditory health. While a basic check might signal that a problem exists, advanced diagnostic hearing assessments pinpoint what the problem is and the right treatment roadmap. These assessments should usually have a cost associated with them, unless the patient is eligible for funding.

What “Free” Really Means

There’s no such thing as a truly free hearing test. Someone is always paying. Sometimes that’s the clinic itself, which might offer free hearing tests as a promotion to attract potential customers. Sometimes the cost of a comprehensive diagnostic hearing assessment is fully covered by the government, DVA, medicare, their private health insurer or an employer.

If you see an audiologist offering a free hearing test, it’s advisable to ask what it includes (or doesn’t include) and who is eligible. In most cases, they’ll mean a free basic hearing check or provide comprehensive testing only to eligible funded patients.


Bundaberg Hearing’s Bulk-Billed Medicare Service

Bulk billing, in which the provider is paid directly by Medicare and there is no out of pocket costs to you, can only be used for specific hearing-health-related treatments and procedures. At Bundaberg Hearing, the only bulk-billed Medicare service we provide is auditory implant programming.

Children (aged 4 – 18 years) can receive bulk billed hearing screenings at the Margaret Rose Centre through Child, Youth and Family Health- Bundaberg Community Health. A GP referral is not required.


Pensioner Hearing Test Bundaberg

Pensioners are eligible for fully subsidised “free” hearing tests, which are accessed via the Australian Government Hearing Services Program (HSP). This program, which is separate from Medicare, DVA, NDIS or Workcover QLD funding, is made available to individuals holding a Pensioner Concession Card, DVA card, current Australian Defence Force members, and those receiving sickness allowance, among others.

Pensioner Concession Cards (age pension, carer payment, disability support pension, parenting payment single) and DVA cards (Gold or White card hearing specific) covers both comprehensive hearing testing and fully subsidised or partly subsidised hearing aid devices or accessories, if required.

 

Other Funding Options

The hearing test cost Bundaberg residents pay can also be funded in other ways. Many people have private health insurance that can cover the cost of diagnostic hearing assessments and hearing devices.

In some cases, patients may receive a partial Medicare subsidy for a hearing test of other audiology services via referral from their GP or ENT (ear nose and throat specialist) healthcare professionals. The Medicare subsidy you receive may vary depending on your Medicare Safety Net and what audiology test items were able to be performed during the hearing test. It is unethical practice for providers to perform clinically unnecessary audiology tests routinely on patients in an attempt to increase the total medicare subsidy.

Most people pay for their hearing tests out of their own pocket. To learn more about the fees for a hearing test at Bundaberg Hearing, contact our clinic directly or visit our ‘Make an Appointment’ page.


What to Bring To Your Appointment

Have an appointment coming up? If you’re eligible for subsidised hearing services, please make sure to bring supporting documentation with you. This can include:

  • Referral letter from GP/ENT
  • Medicare card
  • DVA card
  • Pension Concession details
  • Health-fund information

Note that eligibility, rebates, and inclusions vary. Not every test, appointment, device, or follow-up will be automatically covered.

In some cases, patients may receive a partial Medicare subsidy for a hearing test of other audiology services via referral from their GP or ENT (ear nose and throat specialist) healthcare professionals. The Medicare subsidy you receive may vary depending on your Medicare Safety Net and what audiology test items were able to be performed during the hearing test. It is unethical practice for providers to perform clinically unnecessary audiology tests routinely on patients in an attempt to increase the total medicare subsidy.

Most people pay for their hearing tests out of their own pocket. To learn more about the fees for a hearing test at Bundaberg Hearing, contact our clinic directly or visit our ‘Make an Appointment’ page.

Make an Appointment With BUNDABERG HEARING Today

To learn more about hearing test costs or to learn if you’re eligible for fully funded ‘free’ testing, don’t hesitate to call a member of our team on 07 4154 1048 or drop in to see us in person at 98 Woongarra St, Bundaberg West.

FAQ

Do you offer free hearing tests?

Bundaberg Hearing provides hearing tests for eligible patients, such as those holding a valid Pensioner Concession Card or DVA card. Remember, there’s no such thing as truly ‘free’ hearing tests. Someone is always paying!

Can my hearing test be bulk billed?

Generally, no, adult hearing tests cannot be bulk billed.