A former medical receptionist won’t serve an immediate jail sentence after turning herself in for stealing almost $145,000 in Medicare rebates.

Jenny Yu, who now works as a spiritual adviser and teacher, started scamming the Medicare system within weeks of starting work for a doctor in Burwood, in Melbourne’s east.

From 2 August 2016 to 12 July 2018 she made 264 fraudulent claims for rebates for 434 medical services for herself, her parents and her former husband for services they never received.

As a result, $144,812 was paid by the Department of Human Services into four accounts in her name.