Have you received a GP referral for Medicare services (items 10953 & 81315)?

13th September 2012

To provide these services you must have a valid referral from the patients general practitioner – the referral must state the patients name and medicare number; the GP’s name, address & provider details and be dated and signed by them; the providing health professionals details & number of services requested.

Referrals are valid for 12months. Patients are entitled to five (5) allied health services per calendar year – this may mean that a patient may receive two referrals and attempt to access more than their allocated five (5) services in a year period – thus, you must contact Medicare Provider enquiry line on 132150 to ensure your patient is eligible for Medicare subsidised treatment.

Example – You receive an individual allied health services referral (MBS item 10953) on the 1^st November 2012 for five (5) services. Earlier in the year, your patient was referred to a physiotherapist for three (3) services. This means until December 31^st 2012, the patient is only eligible to access two (2) of the five (5) services you have been allocated – with the remaining three (3) services to be used in 2013.

You can see the patient more frequently, however, medicare rebates will not be available to this patient once the five (5) services have been utilised.