Scanfinder › Medicare and MRI
Bulk-billed MRI and the Medicare MRI list
If you have been handed an MRI request and want to avoid a large bill, two things decide what happens: whether the clinic's machine can claim Medicare for your scan, and whether the clinic chooses to bulk bill it. This page explains both.
Scanfinder lists 603 MRI clinics; 411 are on the government list (updated 17 February 2026). Select MRI and switch on Medicare MRI-listed only to narrow the results.
A clinic being on the list does not guarantee a free scan. The clinic still needs to read your request before it can tell you whether Medicare applies and what you will pay.
What the Medicare MRI list actually is
The government licenses particular MRI units to claim Medicare items. A scan done on a machine that is not on that list cannot attract an MRI rebate, no matter who referred you — you pay the clinic's full private fee. That is why the same scan can be hundreds of dollars cheaper a suburb away.
Every MRI practice on Scanfinder shows whether it appears on the list, using the government file updated 17 February 2026. It is the first thing worth checking before you start ringing around.
Bulk billed, rebated or private — the three outcomes
Bulk billed: the clinic accepts the Medicare rebate as full payment and you pay $0. Rebated with a gap: the clinic charges its own fee and you pay the difference after the rebate. Fully private: the machine is not Medicare-listed or the item on your form is not claimable, so you pay the whole fee.
Billing is the clinic's decision, scan by scan. Some practices bulk bill everyone for certain scans; some only bulk bill children, pensioners or concession card holders. The only reliable way to know is to ask while you are booking.
Does a GP referral work for an MRI?
Sometimes. A number of MRI items can only be claimed when a specialist requests the scan. A smaller set — including several for children and for particular head, spine and knee scans — can be claimed from a GP's request. The clinic works this out from the wording on your form, so let them read it rather than guessing.
If Medicare will not apply to your request, that does not stop the scan — it just means you should ask for the private price before you commit.
How to find a bulk-billed MRI near you
No public register records who bulk bills, so the practical path is short: search your town, select MRI, switch on Medicare MRI-listed only, then phone the two or three closest results. Ask: can you do the MRI written on this form, does Medicare apply here, and what will I pay?