Frequently Asked Questions on Osteopathy:

  1. Am I Covered by Medicare or My Health Fund?
  2. Is an Osteopathy Treatment Covered by my Workcover Claim?
  3. Should I see a Doctor before coming to an Osteopath?
  4. How is Osteopathy Treatment Different?
  5. What Training do Osteopaths receive?
 

Am I covered by Medicare or private health insurance?

Under Medicare plus, patients with chronic conditions may be referred to an Osteopath by their GP under the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program. Your GP will be able to advise you if you are eligible for this program.

Patients are entitled to 5 treatments per calendar year. Patients will be required to pay up front for their treatment and then claim the rebate back from Medicare.

You can read more about the EPC program by clicking this link.

Alternatively, speak with your GP for further information.

Patients who are members of private health funds with ancillary or ‘extras’ cover can usually claim a rebate on their Osteopathic treatment. The amount you can claim will depend on your health fund and the type of cover you hold.

Check the details of your policy or contact your health insurance provider directly for more information on the amount you can claim back.

 

Can I be treated by an Osteopath under Workers Compensation?

Yes. Patients can seek Osteopathic treatment under WorkCover or Transport Accident compensations schemes.

You will need to get approval for the insurance claim. Once you have approval you will be given a claim number, which you will need to bring with you to your Osteopathic consultation.

This will ensure your visit will be covered by these schemes and you won’t be out of pocket.

Samantha is an approved Osteopathic practitioner with WorkCover NSW and has had treated many patients through workers compensation. She has vast knowledge and experience in treating all sorts of work injuries as well as liaising with other health care practitioners and the insurance company case workers.

For more information on WorkCover NSW claims refer to the official Government website

Do I need a Doctors referral to see an Osteopath?

No it is not necessary to have a referral to see an Osteopath. Osteopaths are trained as primary health care practitioners and can identify conditions which may require medical referral.However, if you are seeking osteopathic treatment under the Medicare Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program you will need a referral from your GP.

What makes Osteopathy different?

What sets Osteopathy apart from other manual health care providers is our underlying philosophy and broad range of techniques. Osteopathy was an early profession to recognise the importance of bio-mechanical analysis of how an injury occurred and what the secondary effects may be.

It is this ‘whole body’, multi system approach that is the basis of the Osteopathic approach to treatment.

What training do Osteopaths have?

In Australia, Osteopaths are registered primary health care practitioners. They complete a five year, full time university double degree or a 3 year undergraduate degree and 2 years Masters degree.Osteopaths train in general medical diagnosis, anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and Osteopathic technique.

The Osteopathic board of Australia has a mandatory requirement that Osteopaths complete a set amount of hours in continuing professional development. This ensures that all registered Osteopaths keep up to date with current information in manual medicine.