Medicare
MBS Primary Care Items
Allied Health Items for People of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Descent
Allied health items are available to allow people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who have had a health assessment to receive a Medicare benefit for follow up allied health services. To access these items patients must be referred to an eligible allied health provider by their GP.
Further information is available from the Medicare Australia provider inquiry line on 132 150 or on the Medicare website.
Individual Items
Medicare rebates for certain allied health services are available for patients with chronic conditions and complex care needs on referral from their GP. This program was previously known as the ‘Enhanced Primary Care (EPC)’ program.
See the Department of Health and Ageing website for detailed information including: eligibility criteria for allied health professionals, the MBS item descriptors, the MBS explanatory notes, factsheets and referral forms.
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for Medicare and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Benefits
Simplified claiming arrangements for Medicare funded chronic disease allied health services – 1 Jan 2009
Group Items
Medicare rebates are payable for group services provided by eligible credentialed diabetes educators, accredited exercise physiologists and accredited practising dietitians for people with type 2 diabetes, on referral from a GP.
The following resources were developed by a multidisciplinary working group to support allied health.
Medicare Group Services Information Pack
This pack contains the practical information allied health professionals need to know about the new items.
Webpresent of roadshow
This is an audio recording of the roadshow together with the roadshow PowerPoint slides.
GP PowerPoint Resource
This is a complete PowerPoint presentation for allied health professionals to use when promoting group services to GPs
Audits
Medicare conducts audits so the right person receives the right payment at the right time. To find out more view the Audit Fact Sheet or the Medicare website.
Medicare Online Resources
See the quick reference guide ‘Chronic disease management for allied health professionals’
‘Medicare and You’ is a series of eLearning programs. They are free, self-paced, interactive and case based. Although primarily aimed at new health care professionals or GPs, it will also benefit experienced providers who may want a refresher and be valuable for practice staff.
- ‘Medicare and You – for new health professionals’ is recommended for all for new health professionals who are or will be participating in the Medicare program.
- ‘Medicare and You – Chronic Disease Management for GPs’ – explains the Medicare requirements for providing GP management plans and team care arrangements. It also outlines the relationship between these services and referral for allied health items