Chronic Disease Management Plans (CDMP), otherwise called Enhanced Primary Care Plans (EPC), are a government scheme which enables subsidised consults with primary health care providers for chronic conditions. To retain a care plan, you must consult with your GP first who will refer you for the eligible services. Osteopathy is one of the listed services, along with other allied health professionals such as podiatrist, exercise physiologists, dieticians, psychologist etc. Your GP will be able to refer you to up to 5 sessions per calendar year.
Allocation of the 5 sessions
It is up to the discretion of your trusted doctor as to how they allocate the 5 sessions. Depending on your needs and desires, they may allocate you for 5 Osteopathy sessions, or it could be a mix between several services.
Medicare will provide you with a rebate of $56 per consult. Whilst the 5 rebated sessions are renewed every calendar year, you will need to obtain a new referral from your GP each year. If you do not use your 5 sessions within the calendar year, you can still use them the following year however these will contribute to the following years maximum of 5 sessions, rather than accumulate.
Chronic conditions that a CDM can be used for
While there is no list of conditions that these plans can be used for, your medical condition will likely be eligible if it has been present for, or is likely to be present for more than 6 months. Some of the examples provided by Medicare include:
- Musculoskeletal conditions (e.g. chronic neck, shoulder or low back pain)
- Diabetes
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Stroke
Benefits
As Osteopaths, if you have been referred to us on a care plan, it is our responsibility to update your referring doctor after the first and last appointment of the year to inform them about our management and progress with you. This provides a team-care environment keeping everyone on the same page. It has been shown that a multidisciplinary approach provides great benefits for patients with chronic conditions by providing structure and unity in your care.
As the new year rolls around, if you’re someone who has had a care plan in the past, remember to consult with your GP to renew it for 2023. Otherwise, if this is the first time you have considered or heard about this scheme, feel free to visit or contact our osteopaths at Blackburn Allied Health Group or consult with your GP to discuss how you could potentially take advantage of this great healthcare opportunity we are lucky to have.
