If you're living with a chronic or ongoing health condition, your GP may be able to refer you for physiotherapy under a Medicare care plan. At PhysMed in Unley, Adelaide, we welcome care-plan referrals and keep the process simple — including bulk-billed 25-minute appointments for eligible clients.
What a Medicare care plan is
A Medicare care plan is a structured plan your GP creates to help manage a long-term condition. From 1 July 2025 the GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP) replaced the previous GP Management Plans and Team Care Arrangements. For patients with a chronic condition expected to last at least six months, it can include a referral to allied health services such as physiotherapy, with part of the cost subsidised by Medicare.
There are other Medicare plans — for example mental-health treatment plans — but those cover different services. Our focus here is the chronic-condition pathway that gives you access to physiotherapy.
How it works at PhysMed
Once your GP has prepared a care plan and referred you, we can:
- Provide bulk-billed 25-minute physiotherapy appointments under your plan, so there's no out-of-pocket cost for those sessions, or
- Apply your Medicare benefit as a gap payment toward a longer appointment or another service if you'd prefer more time or a different treatment.
- Deliver physio-led care focused on the goals in your plan, and keep your GP informed of your progress.
If it suits your goals, we can also bring in acupuncture or recovery through Club PhysMed alongside your care-plan physiotherapy (those additional services are charged separately).
What you'll need
To access physiotherapy under a care plan you'll need a referral from your GP. Your GP decides whether you're eligible, prepares the plan, and determines how many subsidised allied-health sessions you can access in a year and when your plan needs reviewing. Referral and review rules are set by Medicare and can change, so it's always worth confirming the current details with your GP. You can read more at Services Australia.
The simplest path is to talk to your GP about whether a care plan is right for you, then bring your referral and plan to your first appointment. If you're unsure about any of it, give us a call and we'll help you understand how it works.
A practical, goal-focused approach
Care plans are about managing a condition well over time, and that fits naturally with how we work. Rather than open-ended passive treatment, we focus on understanding what's driving your problem, building strength and capacity, and giving you the knowledge to manage things yourself — whether that's ongoing back or neck pain, a tendon issue, or another long-standing complaint.
Ready to start?
If your GP has mentioned a care plan, or you think you might be eligible, book an appointment or call us on 0466 337 497. Bring your referral and we'll make the rest easy.