Accredited Exercise Physiologists are part of the ‘Allied Health’ industry that also includes Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Podiatrists and Chiropractors. Did you know that you can see us under Medicare?
How does it work?
The Australian government has a scheme called the ‘Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan’ whereby GPs plan and coordinate the health care of patients with chronic or terminal medical conditions. This includes patients with those conditions who require multidisciplinary, team-based care from a GP and at least two other health or care providers, such as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist.
A chronic disease is classified as any injury or disease that has lasted or will last 6 months or longer. Such conditions include Cardiovascular disease, Asthma, Diabetes and Musculoskeletal injuries however, there is no exact eligible list of conditions. The referral is just designed for those people who require a structured approach to their injury or condition. A PDF version of the referral can be found by following the link below.
Generally speaking, a person with a valid CDM referral is eligible for up to 5 sessions with any Allied Health Provider. If your GP feels it’s required, you may only get 3 sessions, or 2 sessions but the upper limit is 5 sessions. Depending on the number of sessions, these sessions will be spaced out over a period of months. Here at Tucker Strength and Performance, this referral is all you need as we bulk bill our appointments, meaning, no out of pocket expense when you come and see us.
What do I need to do?
Next time you are visiting your GP for a Chronic Conditions, talk to them about a CDM referral to see if you are eligible. You may need to go back and make an appointment with the practice nurse to confirm your details and get the forms filled out. What do you have to lose? All you need from us is our contact details which can be obtained via our website, Facebook page or by giving us a call in the clinic on 0419 159 903.
Bennett Tucker is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Level Two Strength Coach. He has been in the industry for 7 years and worked with a variety of professional athletes. Bennett specialises in athlete rehabilitation and lower back, knee and hip pain. His clinic is located in Croydon, Victoria.