KnowLuna, or your GP?
Sometimes your GP is the right route, and we'll say so. Here is a straight comparison so you can choose with your eyes open.
| KnowLuna | Through your GP | |
|---|---|---|
| Who orders the test | An AHPRA-registered doctor reviews your questionnaire and issues the request online. | Your GP, after an appointment. |
| Do you need an appointment first | No. Order online, usually reviewed within one business day. | Yes. Wait times vary from same day to several weeks. |
| Which tests you get | A pre-designed panel built around your question, so nothing obvious is missed. | Whatever your GP judges clinically necessary. Some markers (for example AMH) have no Medicare item number at all, so they are out of pocket whoever orders them. |
| Cost to you | One self-pay price: core panels from $139 to $199 with your own doctor's request, or from $219 with a KnowLuna doctor and a results consult included. No Medicare rebate. | Often bulk-billed or largely rebated where there is a clinical indication. AMH has no Medicare item number, so it is out of pocket whoever orders it ($80 to $120 typical). |
| Where you get blood taken | Any collection centre in our partner network, or a home kit or nurse home visit where the test allows it. | Any collection centre in the network your GP uses. |
| Laboratory standard | NATA/RCPA-accredited Australian laboratory. | Routine pathology: NATA/RCPA-accredited Australian laboratory. Same standard. Genomic tests: accredited specialist laboratory, named before you order. |
| How results are explained | Plain-English report in your account, marker by marker, plus an included doctor consult by video or phone. | Depends on your GP. Often a follow-up appointment, sometimes a phone call or "no news is good news". |
| Continuity | Same doctor where possible; results history in one place; re-test reminders. | Your GP holds your full history, which is a real advantage, especially for complex health needs. |
| If something is abnormal | A doctor contacts you directly and refers you on, including to your GP or a specialist. | Your GP manages it and refers on. Same escalation. |
| Best for | Starting on your own terms; a specific question your GP hasn't tested; a baseline; a second look; convenience. | Ongoing or complex health issues; cost sensitivity; when you already have a GP you trust. |
GP costs and rebates depend on your GP's billing and the clinical indication. Figures are indicative only.
See your GP first if
There are situations where a self-pay panel is the wrong starting point, and we would rather say so here than after you have paid. Book with your GP, or seek urgent care, if any of these apply.
- Your symptoms are severe, sudden or getting worse quickly.
- You have bleeding that is unusually heavy, bleeding between periods, or any bleeding after menopause.
- You have unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats, chest pain or breathlessness.
- You have found a lump, or have a change in your breasts.
- You are pregnant and something does not feel right.
- You have an ongoing or complex condition, or take medicines that need monitoring.
- You need an examination, an ultrasound or a referral, none of which a blood test can substitute for.
- Cost is the deciding factor and your GP can order the same markers with a rebate.
A blood test is one input to a doctor's assessment, not a substitute for being seen. If you are unsure which route fits, our find your test page walks through it, and a KnowLuna doctor reviews every order before anything is requested.
Why we're telling you this
Because a health company that pretends the rebated route doesn't exist isn't one you should trust with your results. Our position is simple: KnowLuna should be the easiest, clearest way to understand your hormones, and it should send you to your GP or a specialist the moment that is the better path. We encourage everyone to share their KnowLuna report with their regular doctor, and you can do that in one click from your account.
Can my GP sign your request form?
Yes. Download the request form for the panel you want and take it to your GP. If they sign it, you order with Option 1 and pay only for the test and report. Your GP receives the results as well.
Can I do both?
Yes, and many people will. A KnowLuna panel is a good way to get a clear baseline and a plain-English explanation; your GP is the right person to manage anything ongoing. Your report is designed to be useful to them.
Is a self-pay blood test the same quality as a GP one?
The laboratory work is identical. KnowLuna routine pathology is processed by NATA/RCPA-accredited Australian laboratories, the same accreditation standard behind the pathology your GP orders, often in the very same laboratories. Genomic tests are performed by accredited specialist genomics laboratories, which we name before you order. What differs is who requests the test, who pays, and how much time someone spends explaining the result to you.
Can I take my KnowLuna results to my GP?
Yes, and we encourage it. Download your report and the doctor's summary from your account in one click and share it at your next appointment. It is written to be useful to another clinician, with each marker, its result and the laboratory's reference range set out clearly.
When should I see a GP instead?
When symptoms are severe or sudden, when there is unusual bleeding, a lump, unexplained weight loss or fever, when you are pregnant and worried, when you have an ongoing condition that needs monitoring, or when you need an examination, a scan or a referral. Also when cost matters and your GP can order the same markers with a rebate.
Why is there no Medicare rebate?
Medicare rebates pathology a treating doctor orders for a specific clinical indication. KnowLuna tests are requested at your initiative rather than because a treating doctor has assessed you for one, so we do not bill Medicare and there is no rebate. Some markers are never rebated at all: AMH has no Medicare item number, so it is out of pocket whoever orders it, including a GP or a fertility specialist.
Sources and further reading
- Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS Online)
- Healthdirect: understanding pathology tests
- Pathology Tests Explained (RCPA): test index
General information only, not medical advice. A blood test is one input to a doctor's assessment, not a diagnosis on its own. If your symptoms are severe or sudden, see a doctor promptly. Read our medical disclaimer.