Most people find out about bulk billed physiotherapy or podiatry by accident. Someone mentions it at the pharmacy, or a friend says their podiatry appointments cost them nothing, and the obvious question follows: why am I paying, and they are not?
The answer is usually a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan. It is a Medicare arrangement that lets your GP refer you to allied health for up to five visits a calendar year, and at our Darra clinic those standard physiotherapy and podiatry appointments are bulk billed, so there is no gap to pay.
The part nobody explains is how to actually raise it with your GP. So here it is.
What the plan is, in plain language
A Chronic Condition Management Plan (it used to be called a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangement) is a written plan your GP prepares for someone living with an ongoing health condition. It sets out what the condition is, what you are working towards, and which other health professionals will help.
Attached to it is a referral form. That form is what lets a physiotherapist, podiatrist, dietitian or other allied health professional bill Medicare for your visits.
Who qualifies
The rule is that the condition has to have lasted, or be likely to last, at least six months. That is broader than most people assume. Common examples include:
- Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
- Arthritis and other joint conditions
- Heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke
- Asthma and other chronic lung conditions
- Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions
- Persistent back, hip or knee pain
- Osteoporosis
Your GP decides. They know your history and they are the one signing the plan. What you can do is make the conversation easy for them.
What to say at the appointment
GP appointments are short, and it is easy to walk out having talked about everything except the thing you went in for. Something like this works:
“I have a condition that has been going on for a while and I would like some help managing it. Could we talk about whether a Chronic Condition Management Plan is right for me, and whether a referral to physiotherapy or podiatry would help? I would like to be referred to a provider that bulk bills.”
Two details make a difference. First, book a longer appointment when you make it, because a plan takes more than the standard consultation. Second, say it near the start rather than as you are standing up to leave.
Questions worth asking your GP
- Do I qualify for a Chronic Condition Management Plan? If not, ask why, because the answer may point to something else that helps.
- Which allied health services would help me most? You have five visits a calendar year, shared across all providers, so it is worth spending them where they count.
- How many visits are you referring me for? Your GP decides how the five are divided.
- When does the plan need reviewing? Plans are reviewed periodically, and the referral runs out if the review is missed.
- Can you refer me to a provider that bulk bills? Not every clinic does, and a referral does not automatically mean free.
Things people get caught out by
The five visits are shared, not per provider. If you see a dietitian three times, you have two visits left for everything else that calendar year.
They reset on 1 January, not on the anniversary of your plan. A plan written in November gives you visits that expire quickly, then a fresh five in January.
Bulk billing is a choice each clinic makes. A valid referral means the provider can bill Medicare. Whether they charge you the difference is up to them. Ask before you book.
Home visits are usually not covered. At UHGroup, bulk billed appointments are at the clinic. We do visit homes across Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich, but those attract a fee.
What happens at our end
Bring the referral and your Medicare card to the first appointment. We check the referral is current, confirm how many visits your GP has allocated, and get on with it. We write back to your GP after the first visit and at the end of the referral, which is part of how the plan is meant to work.
If you are not sure whether you are eligible, call us on (07) 3187 5018 and we will talk it through, or try the eligibility checker on our bulk billing page. It takes about a minute and tells you what to ask your GP.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Your GP decides whether a Chronic Condition Management Plan is appropriate for you, and Medicare rules apply.
