Medicare does not offer any rebates unless a personal consultation between doctor and patient has occurred - therefore, absentee requests for certificates, referrals or prescriptions must be paid for privately without any rebate. Although your payment details are collected at the time of lodgment, payment will only be taken if Dr Dan can fulfill the request.
Regulators forbid the backdating of referrals - that is, a referral written on 2nd May must be dated 2nd May and no earlier: it would be unlawful to write "1st May" as its date, for example. Therefore, please ensure any referral requests are submitted AT LEAST ONE BUSINESS DAY PRIOR to any appointments requiring a referral.