Frequently Asked Questions

  • Dr Ambikaipalan operates at Epworth Richmond and Epworth Freemasons for patients covered by private health insurance, DVA (Gold card only), TAC or WorkCover.

    Dr Ambikaipalan also consults and operates publicly at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

  • A detailed referral from your GP or other specialist, along with any imaging reports, needs to be received by our rooms so that Dr Ambikaipalan can triage your referral. Once he has reviewed the referral and reports, the Practice Manager will contact you with an appropriate appointment date and time.

    A valid referral is required for all appointments with Dr Ambikaipalan in order to claim your Medicare rebate. Referrals from a specialist are valid for 3 months, while referrals from your GP are valid for 12 months. The validity period begins from the date of your first appointment with Dr Ambikaipalan, using that referral.

  • Dr Ambikaipalan’s rooms are a private clinic and there are consultation fees applicable, with a Medicare rebate available on a valid referral. Review appointments are charged at a lower amount than the initial appointment. There is no fee for appointments within the first six weeks following surgery. If you are approved for consultations by Dr Ambikaipalan by TAC or WorkCover, there is a consultation fee applicable for your initial appointment, with a rebate from TAC or WorkCover, and no charge for review appointments to you. If you hold a valid DVA Gold card, there will be no charge for any appointments to you.

    If you require surgery, there may be an out-of-pocket cost charged by Dr Ambikaipalan. The rest of Dr Ambikaipalan’s charge will be paid by your private health insurance dependant on the level of your cover, DVA if you hold a valid Gold card, or by TAC or WorkCover on receipt of approval of surgery from them.

    Other out-of-pocket costs for surgery include fees from the anaesthetist and assistant surgeon, as well as your private health insurance excess to be paid to the hospital on admission. A detailed estimate of fees will be provided to you should surgery be required.

    All payments to Dr Ambikaipalan can be made via cash, cheque, EFTPOS, Visa or MasterCard. Consultation fees are expected to be settled on the day of your appointment, and the Practice Manager will then process your Medicare rebate on your behalf after your appointment fee has been paid in full.

  • Dr Ambikaipalan’s rooms within Epworth Richmond are located across the street from Lumus Imaging Bridge Road. Bookings for x-rays (including EOS) are usually not required, but all other radiology scans (CT, MRI, DEXA, interventional procedures) usually require a booking. There are multiple other Lumus Imaging locations across Victoria. Alternatively you may chose to go to another radiology provider, but other providers may have a higher out-of-pocket fee and may not offer the scan Dr Ambikaipalan has referred you for.

    If surgery is required, Dr Ambikaipalan may ask you to have some blood tests done beforehand. Our preferred pathology providers are Dorevitch Pathology or Melbourne Pathology.