Can You Get Medicare Rebates for Physiotherapy?
The simple answer - YES
Physiotherapy is proven to be effective in the management of chronic conditions.
Physiotherapy is an invaluable treatment solution for a wide range of Musculoskeletal conditions - Osteoarthritis, Neck Pain, Back Pain to name just a few.
The team at TOTAL Physiotherapy are passionate about helping people to overcome their injuries or medical conditions which is why we are proud to accept and process Medicare Rebatable Physiotherapy Consultations.
How does it work?
Prior to being able to claim Medicare rebates for Physiotherapy;
You will need to have what is deemed a Chronic Medical Condition. A Chronic Medical Condition is a problem or condition that you have had for longer than six months (this will need to be diagnosed by your GP)
Once your GP has diagnosed you with a Chronic Medical Condition, they will complete the necessary paperwork to place you on a Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM for short). They will also give you a referral to see a Physiotherapist (you can specify the Physiotherapist that you would like to be referred to) for a maximum of 5 x Physiotherapy sessions per calendar year.
Book an appointment with us! When it comes to payment, you pay us our normal fee and we will claim your Medicare rebate on the spot. This will go straight back in to your account without having to visit a Medicare Office.
Important Points:
You are entitled to 5x 'Allied Health' consultations per calendar year, this can be used for a single Allied Health service or across multiple Allied Health services ( i.e. 5 x Physiotherapy sessions or 3 x Physiotherapy and 2 x Podiatry sessions).
The 5 sessions restart each calendar year, though you will need a new referral from your GP every 12 months.
You will pay the full Physiotherapy consultation fee at the time of your appointment. We will then swipe your Medicare card on our registered HICAPS machine and transfer $52.95 back onto your Debit Card (Medicare don't allow the rebate to go onto a Credit Card). Overall, depending on your appointment type, you’ll be around $40-50 out of pocket.
Occasionally, a Medicare card will not allow the rebate to be done on a HICAPS machine. In this instance, you'd simply go to a Medicare office and have them reimburse you.
Unfortunately, we cannot bulk bill Medicare rebates. Like most GP clinics, patients will need to pay for the consultation upfront, then claim the rebate on the spot.
What happens next?
Go and see your trusted GP and ask them to complete the CDM paperwork. Then you simply need to call us or book an appointment online, bring along your referral documents and we can get started implementing a Management Plan to get you feeling better and back doing what you love to do.
Your Physiotherapist will be in constant correspondence with your GP communicating the treatment plan and your progress.
If you have Private Health Insurance, you should use your Medicare entitlements first, then use your private health rebates for any consultation outside of your nominated amount.
If you have any questions about how the Medicare rebates for Physiotherapy work, please call our friendly reception team, who'll be able to explain everything you need to know.
We look forward to seeing you in our clinic soon!!