Private medical practitioners and their practice staff can access free Interpreting Services to provide Medicare rebatable services to anyone in Australia who is eligible for Medicare. This service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Some privately employed allied health professionals are eligible to access the Free Interpreting Service (FIS) when delivering their services in a private practice located within approved Local Government Areas to patients who are eligible for a Medicare card.
Interpreters are not generally funded for allied health services, however hospitals and community health centres receive funding to purchase language services.
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This information sheet is one of a series produced by the Centre for Culture Ethnicity & Health covering aspects of language services.