Bone Density Scan (DEXA) Cost & Medicare Eligibility

If you meet Medicare's criteria, usually very little: many eligible patients pay $0 (bulk billed) to about $30 out of pocket. If you don't qualify for a rebate, a private DEXA scan typically costs around $80–$200 — one of the more affordable scans to self-fund.

Typical out-of-pocket in Victoria:

• Medicare-eligible, bulk-billing clinic: $0 • Medicare-eligible with a gap: usually up to about $30 • Not Medicare-eligible (private): roughly $80–$200 • Body composition DEXA (fitness/muscle-fat tracking): roughly $50–$150, usually no rebate

As always, the clinic confirms the exact cost when they accept your booking. Compare DEXA clinics near you on Radly and check bulk-billing notes on each profile.

Medicare covers bone densitometry only for specific criteria — this is the part that catches people out. You generally qualify if you:

• Are aged 70 or over (routine screening) • Have had a minimal-trauma fracture (a break from a minor fall or less) • Take long-term corticosteroids or other bone-affecting medications • Have early menopause or low hormone levels • Have a condition linked to bone loss — such as rheumatoid arthritis, coeliac disease, thyroid or parathyroid disorders, or chronic kidney or liver disease • Are monitoring diagnosed osteoporosis or osteopenia

Your GP checks your history against the criteria and writes the referral — the referral is what makes the scan rebate-eligible. If you don't qualify, you can still have the scan privately at a modest cost.

No — they're all the same test. DEXA and DXA are both short for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, BMD stands for bone mineral density (the thing the scan measures), and "bone density scan" is the plain-English name.

Whatever your referral says, you'll have the same quick, painless scan: about 10–20 minutes lying on an open padded table while a scanning arm passes over your hips and lower spine. No tunnel, no injections, and a radiation dose around one-tenth of a chest X-ray. See our full DEXA scan guide for what to expect and how to read your T-score.

Medicare limits how frequently it will fund a repeat scan, and the interval depends on why you're being tested — commonly every 1 to 5 years. Shorter intervals apply for people on treatments or with conditions that change bone density quickly; longer intervals apply for routine age-based screening with normal results.

Your GP knows the interval that applies to your item and will time the referral accordingly. Booking a repeat scan at the same clinic (or bringing your previous results) helps the radiologist compare like with like — DEXA machines can differ slightly, so trends matter more than single numbers.

1. Ask your GP whether you meet the Medicare criteria and get a referral 2. Search DEXA clinics near your suburb on Radly 3. Prefer clinics that mark bulk billing, and confirm the cost when they reply 4. Skip calcium supplements for 24 hours before the scan, wear clothes without metal, and bring your referral, Medicare card, and any previous results

DEXA appointments are usually easy to get — typically within about 1–5 days at Victorian clinics. Request a booking online and the clinic confirms the time and cost — no phone tag.