1.a.18. Where a doctor supplies a GST-free medical service and separately charges a facility fee, what is the GST status of the charge for the facility fee?

Non-interpretative – straight application of the law.

Where a separate fee is charged in relation to the facilities used to perform a service, the charge for using those facilities will have the same character as the service that has been supplied.

Therefore where a doctor supplies a service for which a Medicare benefit is payable, and separately charges a facility fee for the use of the facility in which that service was supplied, that facility fee will be GST-free if the service supplied also falls within the second limb of the medical service definition.

If facilities are used to perform a taxable service, for example the removal of tattoos or for services rendered for cosmetic reasons for which a Medicare benefit is not payable, the charge for using those facilities will also be taxable and subject to GST.

If the service supplied is only partly taxable, then the charge for using the facilities in which the service was performed will be proportionately taxable as well.