Is Osteopathy covered by medicare?
Chronic Disease Management (CDM)/ Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Plans/ Medicare rebates are some common names for plans that you can get a partial rebate for your osteopathic appointments.
So YES, Osteopathy can be partially covered by medicare!
You will need 3 items:
Your valid referral from your GP,
Medicare card, and
EFTPOS Debit card.
The full consultation fee is to be paid at the time of consultation (see fees here). The medicare rebate of $55.10 (per osteopath appointment) can be processed immediately at the clinic on presentation of your Medicare card and an EFTPOS card.
Thus, the Medicare benefit does not cover the full payment for the service, there will be an out-of-pocket expense.
We require a valid referral from your GP prior to your appointment to process the Medicare Rebate.
How many visits can I get with the medicare rebate?
Your GP can refer you for up to 5 sessions to any allied health professionals.
Sometimes they will give you all 5 sessions to osteopathy, however, it is becoming more common to split those 5 sessions up between different allied health professions. For example, you could receive 2 sessions for osteopathy, 2 sessions for exercise physiologist, and 1 session for podiatry.
This number is reviewed each year and you will need a new referral for each calendar year.
How does the medicare rebate process work?
This will happen at the end of the consultation by your osteopath or receptionist.
Pay the full consultation fee using your EFTPOS Debit card.
Swipe your Medicare card to access the rebate by using numbers from the GP referral form.
Insert your EFTPOS Debit card into the terminal to place the rebate back onto your card. This will NOT work with a credit card.
How do I qualify for the medicare rebate?
Generally, you need to have a chronic or terminal health condition to qualify for the medicare rebate program/CDM/EPC.
A chronic medical condition is one that has been (or is likely to be) present for six months or longer, for example, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, musculoskeletal conditions and stroke. There is no list of eligible conditions. However, these items are designed for patients who require a structured approach to their care and to enable GPs to plan and coordinate the care of patients with complex conditions requiring ongoing care from a multidisciplinary team.
Ultimately, It is best to discuss this option with your GP.
