Short answer

• For Australians the most cost‑effective telehealth options are: Medicare-funded telehealth (bulk-billed or with an MBS rebate), private health insurers’ telehealth programs/partnerships (some insurers offer reduced‑gap or no‑gap online GP or allied‑health consults), and dedicated telehealth services (commercial telehealth clinics) that either bulk‑bill or charge modest fees. Use Medicare first if eligible; use private insurer telehealth add‑ons if you want convenience, extras rebates or an insurer‑run service. (servicesaustralia.gov.au)

What “best” means (cost, coverage, convenience)

• If your priority is lowest out‑of‑pocket cost: Medicare telehealth or a bulk‑billing GP that offers telehealth. Medicare covers video and phone telehealth items when provided by eligible practitioners. Bulk‑billing policies and incentives also affect availability in your area. (servicesaustralia.gov.au)
• If you want convenience/after‑hours access: look for insurers that provide integrated telehealth platforms or partner services (eg HCF’s GP2U, insurer telehealth portals) or private telehealth providers that operate 7 days. These can reduce waiting time and sometimes offer no‑gap consultations for members. (HCF.com.au)
• If you need allied‑health or extras services by telehealth (physio, psychology, dental advice): check your extras policy—some insurers pay the same benefits for telehealth as for face‑to‑face on covered extras items, subject to limits/waiting periods. Always check your specific policy. (Medibank.com.au)

Practical options to consider in Australia (with examples)

1. Medicare-funded telehealth (first port of call)

   • Who: GPs, specialists, psychiatrists, many allied health practitioners with Medicare provider numbers.
   • Cost: Can be bulk‑billed (no out‑of‑pocket) or rebated via MBS items. Recent MBS updates (from 1 March 2025) emphasise video services as the telehealth standard—check current item rules for eligibility. (servicesaustralia.gov.au)

2. Major private insurers’ telehealth programs (convenience + potential gap reductions)

   • Examples: HCF’s GP2U partnership (member pricing/no‑gap options depending on cover), Medibank’s telehealth info (extras may cover telehealth on eligible services), Bupa and others offer telehealth options or promote parity of telehealth/extras benefits. These services vary by insurer, by level of cover (hospital vs extras) and by product, so comparison is essential. (HCF.com.au)

3. Dedicated commercial telehealth providers

   • Examples: GP2U, Healthdirect’s online directory to find telehealth providers, and other clinic networks. Costs range from free (if bulk‑billed/MBS applies) to modest fixed fees; some providers send prescriptions/referrals electronically. Use these if you need fast access or your local GP doesn’t offer video consults. (HCF.com.au)

4. Extras cover for allied health telehealth

   • Many extras policies reimburse allied health telehealth consults (physio, psychology, dietetics) under the same limits as in‑person sessions—check annual limits, waiting periods and whether telehealth is explicitly included. Insurer pages recommend checking your cover summary. (Medibank.com.au)

What to check before you book

• Medicare eligibility: does the practitioner and service attract an MBS telehealth item? Will it be bulk‑billed? (Services Australia has the up‑to‑date MBS telehealth rules.) (servicesaustralia.gov.au)
• Your policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) / cover summary: does your insurer pay benefits for telehealth, under which extras/hospital items, what waiting periods or annual limits apply, and are there any provider networks? (Medibank.com.au)
• Gap and billing: will the telehealth service be no‑gap, partially rebated, or require an out‑of‑pocket payment? Ask the telehealth clinic or your insurer before the consult. (HCF.com.au)
• Privacy and records: confirm how prescriptions, referrals and records are handled and whether your local GP will receive consultation notes if you want continuity of care. (HCF.com.au)

Quick recommendation by use case

• I want the cheapest option for a GP issue: try to find a bulk‑billing telehealth GP who bulk‑bills via Medicare; check Government/Healthdirect listings and ask clinics about bulk‑billing. (servicesaustralia.gov.au)
• I value after‑hours/fast access and I have private cover: check whether your insurer offers a telehealth partner or in‑house service (compare HCF, Medibank, Bupa pages and your PDS). If your insurer offers no‑gap or reduced‑gap telehealth for members, that may save money and time. (HCF.com.au)
• I need allied health (psychology, physio) by video: check your extras cover limits and whether telehealth sessions are eligible for benefits. (Medibank.com.au)

Next steps (practical)

1. Check Medicare telehealth item eligibility for your condition and location (Services Australia / MBS Online). (servicesaustralia.gov.au)
2. Check your private health insurer’s PDS/cover summary for telehealth, partnerships and any member telehealth services (HCF, Medibank, Bupa, NIB, HBF etc.). (HCF.com.au)
3. If you want a list of specific insurers or a direct comparison (costs, no‑gap telehealth offerings), tell me your priorities (lowest cost / fastest access / allied‑health focus / current insurer) and I’ll pull a focused comparison of current insurer telehealth offerings and likely out‑of‑pocket costs.

If you want I can also look up your local bulk‑billing telehealth options or compare 3 insurers’ telehealth offerings and what out‑of‑pocket gap you might expect.