Medicare Care Plans and Osteopathy: Are You Eligible?

Many people do not realise that Medicare can help cover osteopathy treatment. Through a GP arranged care plan, patients with chronic conditions can receive Medicare rebates for up to five allied health visits each calendar year, and osteopathy is one of the eligible services. Here is how the system works and how to find out whether you qualify.

What the care plan is

The arrangement is known as a GP chronic condition management plan, previously called a chronic disease management plan or an EPC. It is created by your GP for patients whose condition has been present, or is expected to be present, for six months or more. Under the plan, Medicare provides rebates for up to five individual allied health services per calendar year in total, which can be spread across osteopathy and other services such as physiotherapy or podiatry as your GP sees fit.

Who tends to be eligible

Eligibility is your GP's call and rests on having a chronic condition that benefits from structured, team based care. In our clinic, the typical care plan patients include people with persistent lower back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, chronic headaches and long standing shoulder problems. If pain has been part of your life for six months or longer and your GP is involved in managing it, you are exactly the sort of patient the scheme exists for and it is worth raising at your next GP visit.

How the process works

Start with your GP, who assesses your condition, prepares the plan and issues a referral naming the allied health services. Book with us and bring the referral, or have your clinic fax or email it ahead of your visit. A Medicare rebate applies to each eligible consultation, and depending on the clinic's billing there may be a gap payment, which we will explain clearly when you book so there are no surprises. The five subsidised visits reset each calendar year, and your GP can review the plan over time.

Making the visits count

Five subsidised sessions is a helpful contribution rather than unlimited care, so we make each one work hard: thorough assessment, hands-on treatment, and a self management and exercise plan you can run between visits. If you have a chronic musculoskeletal condition and live around Berwick, Narre Warren or Cranbourne, ask your GP whether a care plan fits, then call our clinic and we will take it from there.

Book an initial consultation at RISE Sports & Spinal in Berwick. Clear diagnosis, hands-on treatment, and a plan that actually gets you better.