Medicare

MBS/CDM Referral

The Medicare Benefits Schedule MBS or Chronic Disease Management CDM program (formerly known as Enhanced Primary Care – EPC) program is a Medicare funded programme for the treatment of chronic and complex conditions. In order to obtain one, you must be considered eligible by your GP and your GP will arrange a Care Plan.

If your GP provides you with a CDM/MBS referral for physiotherapy or podiatry treatment, you can receive treatment with us.

What do I need to bring?

Before your first appointment, you will need to bring your;

• CDM/MBS referral and Care Plan,
• Medicare card and,
• A debit card that has a PIN number, which is linked to a savings or a cheque account.

With all of this information provided to us, we can finalise your payment and your Medicare rebate onsite, saving you a trip into the Medicare office. This is similar to the payment process at a GP clinic. At this stage we will inquire about if you have an Australian health care concession card.

How much will it cost?

The CDM/MBS programme is funded by Medicare, which means you will be eligible for a rebate after your treatment.

There will be an upfront cost which can be paid via EFT or cash. Once this account has been paid, we process your Medicare card onsite and you will receive a rebate of $60.30. This means you will have a reduced final out-of-pocket expense.

What happens when my CDM/MBS runs out?

As part of the CDM/MBS programme, you can be allocated up to 5 treatments per calendar year. Depending on your personal needs, your GP may allocate this to one service – such as physiotherapy – or spread it across a couple of services – i.e. physiotherapy and podiatry.

At Paddington Physiotherapy & Podiatry, we kindly offer to continue the discounted rate to concession patients who require further treatment.

Can I use my private health fund to cover costs?

No. Because the CDM/MBS programme is funded by Medicare, we cannot use your private health fund to cover the upfront cost.

However, patients who require further treatment after their CDM/MBS referral has ‘run-out,’ are welcome to use their private health fund to cover part of their treatment costs*

*Amount covered is varied depending on your health fund provider and level of cover. Please contact your health fund provider for specific information related to you.