▁also ▁covers ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁other ▁mental ▁health ▁care , ▁including ▁from ▁occup ational ▁ther ap ists , ▁social ▁workers , ▁general ▁pract ition ers ▁and ▁psych iat rist s . ▁ ▁Out - of - po cket ▁costs ▁The ▁difference ▁between ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁health ▁care ▁and ▁the ▁reb ate ▁is ▁called ▁an ▁out - of - po cket ▁cost ▁or ▁co - payment . ▁The ▁out - of - po cket ▁costs ▁for ▁Austral ians ▁are ▁continu ing ▁to ▁increase , ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁increases ▁in ▁health care ▁costs ▁above ▁Medic are ▁schedule ▁increases , ▁and ▁also ▁because ▁a ▁Medic are ▁benefits ▁free ze ▁has ▁been ▁im posed ▁over ▁the ▁last ▁few ▁years . ▁Medical ▁pract ition ers ▁choosing ▁to ▁ce ase ▁or ▁cut ▁back ▁on ▁bulk - b illing ▁also ▁increases ▁out - of - po cket ▁costs ▁to ▁patients . ▁ ▁If ▁a ▁pract ition er ▁does ▁not ▁bulk ▁bill ▁a ▁particular ▁patient , ▁that ▁patient ▁will ▁receive ▁a ▁bill ▁for ▁the ▁medical ▁exp enses ▁and ▁is ▁oblig ated ▁to ▁pay ▁the ▁bill . ▁The ▁pract ition er ▁is ▁paid ▁the ▁full ▁amount ▁of ▁the ▁bill . ▁The ▁patient ▁is ▁re imb urs ed ▁by ▁Medic are ▁ 8 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁schedule ▁fee ▁and ▁is ▁out - of - po cket ▁for ▁the ▁balance ▁of ▁the ▁bill . ▁Medic are ▁accum ul ates ▁the ▁gap ▁amounts , ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁difference ▁between ▁the ▁schedule ▁fee ▁and ▁the ▁ 8 5 % ▁re imb urs ed ▁by