A vascular ultrasound costs nothing out of pocket at Capri Ultrasound if you hold a Medicare card and have a referral from a doctor, because we bulk bill eligible scans. Other Gold Coast clinics can charge a gap fee of up to $310 for a single exam, and up to $374 for a varicose vein study on one leg. The clinical name for the test is vascular ultrasonography, and your referral works at any imaging provider.
If you have been referred for a scan, here is how the cost works, why the price differs between clinics, and what to check before you book.
Nothing, for eligible patients. If you hold a Medicare card and your referral comes from a doctor, such as your GP or a specialist, we bulk bill the scan. You pay no gap and nothing upfront. Bulk billing changes who pays for the scan, not how it is done. This covers eligible scans across our vascular range, including carotid artery, DVT, leg artery and varicose vein studies. Our page on who can refer you for a bulk billed ultrasound explains which providers qualify. Your scan is performed by our sonographer, who has over 20 years of experience with vascular imaging and has worked with multiple vascular surgeons.
Medicare pays a set benefit for each scan. A clinic that does not bulk bill can charge more than that benefit, and the difference is called a gap fee, or an out of pocket cost. The Australian Government explains how out of pocket costs work for services outside hospital.
On the Gold Coast, gap fees for vascular imaging can reach $310 for a single exam, and $320 to $374 for a varicose vein study on one leg, depending on whether Medicare accepts a second item number. Fees apply per exam, so two scans, such as the arteries in both legs, can mean up to $620 out of pocket.
Because of how Medicare rebates work, the gap is substantially more than double when both legs are scanned on the same day. At Capri Ultrasound, studies on both legs are booked across two days, which allows both to be bulk billed. If you want to know what the scan involves before you book, our varicose vein ultrasound page covers it.
Vascular ultrasonography uses sound waves and Doppler technology to assess blood flow in your arteries and veins. InsideRadiology, a patient resource developed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, notes that colour Doppler can be used to watch blood flow in any of the arteries or veins in the body. The scan does not involve needles, dye or radiation.
At Capri Ultrasound, that includes the carotid arteries, leg arteries and veins, arm veins and arteries, the aorta, the renal and mesenteric arteries, and the temporal arteries. You can see the full list on our services page.
Ask three things. Do you bulk bill vascular scans for Medicare card holders? If not, what is the gap for one exam and for two? And how soon can I be seen? The first two answers tell you most of what you need to know about cost, and the third matters if your doctor wants results quickly.
Your referral is valid at any imaging provider, so you are free to choose the clinic that suits you. You are not tied to the one your GP happens to suggest.
If your doctor marks a referral as urgent, such as a suspected DVT, we prioritise it with a same day booking. This avoids the delays of days to weeks seen at other practices. Urgent reports are prioritised, and we aim to return the report to your doctor on the same day, or give them a verbal report when that is not possible. Eligible urgent scans are bulk billed on the same terms.
Private billing applies if you do not hold a Medicare card, or if the scan is not Medicare eligible. Call our team on 07 5619 8144 and they can confirm the fee before you book.
If you have a referral, you can book online, call us on 07 5619 8144, or walk in at Suite 3.11, Level 1, Capri on Via Roma, Isle of Capri, subject to availability. Bring your referral and your Medicare card. Whichever clinic you choose, ask about the gap before you book. At Capri Ultrasound, eligible patients pay nothing for their vascular ultrasound.
