Do I need a referral to be seen as as an outpatient?
A medical referral is not necessary to see a physiotherapist unless you are claiming the injury/treatment through a third party insurer such as Workcover, Department of Veteran’s Affairs or Accident Insurance etc.
How long does an appointment take?
On average, each appointment will take half an hour. This will depend on the nature of the condition treated and the therapist involved.
What should I bring to my appointment?
Please bring any referrals, documentation and relevant test results such as X-Rays.
What should I wear?
This will depend on the type of treatment you are receiving. Generally we recommend that you wear loose, comfortable clothing. If you have any concerns, check with the practitioner prior to your appointment.
What should I wear for Hydrotherapy?
We suggest that you wear either a swimming costume (togs) or shorts and a tee shirt.
Does Medicare cover Physiotherapy services?
Yes, but there are limitations. Only patients with chronic conditions & complex care needs that are being managed by their doctor under a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan can claim Medicare benefits. Benefits can be claimed for up to five (5) allied health services in a calendar year from eligible allied health professionals (AHP) such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists etc.
The five services can be made up of five of the one type of allied health service or a combination of different types of service – for example, five physiotherapy or one podiatry service, 2 occupational therapy services and two physiotherapy services.
Will I receive an account from you if you provide physio to me while I am in hospital?
Some private health funds have established special arrangements with the two private hospitals in Toowoomba that include the cost of physiotherapy. This arrangement is called “bundling”.
Where such an arrangement exists, health fund members, providing they have hospital cover, will have no out of pocket expenses (phone, paper etc. excluded) for intrinsic of care physiotherapy treatment following their stay in hospital. Where such an arrangement exists, accounts for physiotherapy will be forwarded directly to the hospital.
We strongly recommend that you confirm with your health fund, and the hospital into which you will be admitted, to confirm whether or not such an arrangement exists.
In cases where no such arrangements exist between a health fund and the hospital or if you do not have private health insurance, patients will receive an account from us after being discharged from hospital and this account will be separate to any hospital account you may receive.
Does private health insurance cover physiotherapy?
Yes, but this will depend on the level of cover that you have chosen with your private health insurer. Members in health funds who have extras or ancillary type cover will normally have part of the cost of our fees rebated, but not the full amount. We encourage you to personally check with your fund regarding the amount of rebate that will be provided and any limits there may be before any treatments are commenced.
What if I am a Workcover patient?
We are happy to see Workcover patients, however; we will need a valid medical certificate and a claim number from Workcover. If Workcover does not accept a claim, then the cost of any services that we provide will become your responsibility.
Does Workcover meet the full cost of your fees?
No. Workcover rates for physiotherapy do not cover the full cost of our fees and as such we apply a small co-payment in order to cover this short fall. This co-payment will be at your expense and cannot be claimed back from Workcover.
What if I am a DVA patient?
Whether you have a Gold or White Card you will require a referral (D904) from your doctor in order for DVA to cover the cost of your physiotherapy.
What are the terms for payment and cancellation?
Payment is required at the conclusion of each consultation. The rebate from your health fund can be transacted through the HICAPS system with the balance for the payment to be made as either cash, EFTPOS, credit card or cheque. If you need to cancel your appointment, it is requested that you provide adequate notice (at least 24 hours notice if possible) as then the appointment time can be used by another client.
