If you have a chronic health condition that affects your mobility, strength, balance, pain or ability to manage everyday activities, you may be eligible for Medicare-subsidised physiotherapy as part of a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan.
The Medicare system changed on 1 July 2025, so some information you may find online about "GP Management Plans", "Team Care Arrangements" and Medicare physiotherapy is now outdated.
This guide explains how Medicare-subsidised physiotherapy works, who may be eligible, how the annual allied-health service limit works, what you may still have to pay, and how home physiotherapy may fit into your care.
Last reviewed: August 2026
The short answer
If you are eligible for Medicare's chronic condition management arrangements, your GP may include physiotherapy in your care plan.
Eligible patients can generally access up to five MBS-supported individual allied health services per calendar year. The five services are a combined annual limit across eligible allied-health services rather than five physiotherapy appointments plus five appointments with other providers.
Physiotherapy is one of the eligible allied-health services.
The current MBS physiotherapy item is 10960. As at 1 July 2026, the listed fee is $74.55 and the Medicare benefit is 85%, or $63.40.
The Medicare benefit is a subsidy, not a guarantee that your physiotherapy appointment will be completely free. Your physiotherapist sets their own fee, so ask about any gap before booking.
What is a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan?
A GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP) is a plan developed by a GP for a person who has a chronic condition and complex care needs.
The plan is designed to coordinate care between the GP and other health professionals.
If physiotherapy is clinically appropriate and included in your plan, your GP can refer you for an eligible Medicare-subsidised physiotherapy service.
Medicare funding is linked to the management of an eligible chronic condition. It is not simply a general Medicare discount that can be used for any physiotherapy appointment.
Who may be eligible?
Eligibility is determined under the Medicare rules and by your treating medical practitioner.
The chronic condition generally needs to have been present, or be likely to be present, for at least six months, and you need to have complex care needs requiring ongoing management.
Examples where physiotherapy may form part of chronic condition management include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Parkinson's disease
- Stroke-related mobility problems
- Multiple sclerosis
- Chronic musculoskeletal conditions
- Long-term back or neck problems
- Mobility and functional limitations associated with chronic disease
- Chronic neurological conditions
- Conditions affecting strength, balance or physical independence
Having one of these conditions does not automatically mean you qualify. Your GP needs to determine whether the Medicare requirements are met and whether physiotherapy is appropriate as part of your management.
How many physiotherapy sessions does Medicare cover?
Eligible patients can access up to five MBS-supported individual allied health services per calendar year.
The five services can be allocated between eligible allied-health providers according to your needs.
For example, you might use:
- 5 physiotherapy services; or
- 3 physiotherapy services and 2 podiatry services; or
- 2 physiotherapy services, 1 occupational therapy service and 2 dietetics services.
The five-service limit is not five services for every allied-health profession.
Unused services do not simply roll over into the following calendar year.
What is the Medicare physiotherapy rebate?
For MBS item 10960, the listed fee as at 1 July 2026 is $74.55, with an 85% Medicare benefit of $63.40.
The Medicare benefit is calculated from the MBS fee. It is not necessarily the same as the amount your physiotherapist charges.
If your physiotherapist's fee is higher than the Medicare benefit, you pay the difference.
Before treatment begins, ask:
> "What will my total fee be, and what Medicare rebate will I receive?"
Can Medicare-funded physiotherapy be provided at home?
Home physiotherapy can be an appropriate way to deliver physiotherapy when treatment in the home environment is clinically suitable.
However, Medicare eligibility is determined by the relevant MBS requirements. A home visit does not automatically make a physiotherapy service Medicare-funded.
If you are considering home physiotherapy under a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, confirm with your GP and physiotherapist that the proposed service meets the applicable Medicare requirements.
A home assessment can be particularly useful when your main difficulties occur in the environment where you live.
A physiotherapist can assess:
- Getting in and out of your usual chair
- Walking around your home
- Stairs and steps
- Balance during everyday activities
- Transfers
- Mobility aids
- Exercise space
- Practical barriers that make clinic attendance difficult
How do I ask my GP about Medicare physiotherapy?
You can simply explain:
> "I have been having ongoing problems with my mobility, pain or balance and I would like to know whether I am eligible for a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan that includes physiotherapy."
Your GP can then determine whether the plan is appropriate.
If physiotherapy is included, ask your GP how the referral will be provided and whether you need to consider other allied-health services within the five-service annual limit.
What happens after the GP referral?
Once you have an appropriate referral, contact your physiotherapist and provide the relevant referral information.
Your physiotherapist will assess your condition and determine what treatment is clinically appropriate.
The first appointment may include:
1. A detailed history of your condition
2. Assessment of strength, movement and function
3. Assessment of balance or walking where relevant
4. Discussion of your goals
5. Education about your condition
6. An individualised exercise or rehabilitation program
7. Advice about managing your condition between appointments
The purpose is not simply to provide five isolated appointments. The aim is to use available services strategically to help you manage your condition and improve function.
What if five services are not enough?
Depending on your circumstances, additional physiotherapy may be available through other pathways, such as:
- Private payment
- Private health insurance extras
- NDIS, where the physiotherapy is related to an eligible disability and meets NDIS funding requirements
- Aged care funding or other relevant programs
- Other government or community programs where available
The appropriate funding pathway depends on why you require physiotherapy and your individual circumstances.
Medicare vs NDIS
Medicare and the NDIS are not interchangeable.
Broadly, Medicare is part of Australia's health system, while the NDIS can fund disability-related supports that meet its funding criteria.
The appropriate funding pathway depends on the purpose of the support and the applicable rules.
If you are an NDIS participant, do not assume that every physiotherapy appointment should be billed to your NDIS plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is a GP Management Plan still the correct name?
For new arrangements, the current terminology is the GP Chronic Condition Management Plan. Some older GP Management Plans and Team Care Arrangements created before 1 July 2025 remain subject to transition arrangements.
Do I automatically get five free physiotherapy appointments?
No. The Medicare arrangement provides a Medicare benefit for eligible services. Your physiotherapist may charge more than the relevant Medicare benefit, creating an out-of-pocket gap.
Can I use all five services for physiotherapy?
Potentially, if physiotherapy is appropriate and included in your plan or referral. The five-service limit is a combined annual limit across eligible individual allied-health services.
Do I have to go to a physiotherapy clinic?
Not necessarily. Home physiotherapy may be an appropriate option depending on your circumstances and the requirements of the service.
What should I do first?
Speak with your GP about whether a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan is appropriate for your condition and whether physiotherapy should form part of your care.
Home physiotherapy in North Tasmania
Physio to Home provides mobile physiotherapy for people who need treatment in their own home across North Tasmania.
Home-based physiotherapy can be particularly useful for people who find travelling to a clinic difficult or whose main mobility problems occur during everyday activities at home.
If you are considering physiotherapy under Medicare, contact us before booking so we can explain our fees, referral requirements and whether home physiotherapy is suitable for your circumstances.
Important information
Medicare rules, MBS items, fees and eligibility requirements can change.
The information in this article is general information and is not financial, legal or medical advice. Eligibility for Medicare benefits must be determined under the current Medicare rules.
Always confirm the current MBS requirements and your expected out-of-pocket cost with your GP, Medicare and your physiotherapy provider.
About the author
Micheal Ghattas, DPT
AHPRA Registered Physiotherapist
Physio to Home | North Tasmania
Micheal provides home-based physiotherapy for people living with mobility, neurological, musculoskeletal and rehabilitation needs across North Tasmania.