“Do I need a referral to see a physio?” is one of the questions we hear most, and the answer is simple. No, you can book a physiotherapist directly. You don’t need a GP referral to be assessed or treated.
Where it gets confusing is funding. A referral isn’t needed to see a physio, but some of the schemes that help pay for physio do ask for paperwork. Here’s how each one works.
At a glance
- Paying yourself, or claiming private health: no referral needed
- Medicare: yes, a GP referral through a care plan
- DVA: yes, a referral from your GP (or specialist for a first cycle)
- WorkCover: no referral, but your claim needs to be accepted
- NDIS: no GP referral, but physio needs to be funded in your plan
Medicare care plans (GP Chronic Condition Management Plans)
Medicare doesn’t usually pay for physiotherapy by itself. The exception is a care plan from your GP. Since 1 July 2025 these are called GP Chronic Condition Management Plans. They replaced the older GP Management Plans and Team Care Arrangements, which many people still know as chronic disease management plans or EPC plans. Plans made before 1 July 2025 can still be used until 30 June 2027.
If your GP puts a plan in place, you can get up to five Medicare-rebated allied health visits per calendar year. A few things to know:
- Your GP decides whether a plan is right for you. It’s for conditions that have lasted, or are likely to last, six months or more.
- The five visits are shared across all allied health, so a podiatry visit uses one of the same five you’d use for physio. Unused visits don’t roll over to the next year.
- The visit has to be one-on-one, in person, and at least 20 minutes.
- Medicare pays a set rebate towards each visit, currently $63.40, so you may still have a gap to pay. The amount can change, so check the current figure on the Services Australia website.
- Your referral is valid for the period your GP states on it, so check the date and take it along to your first appointment.
DVA (Department of Veterans’ Affairs)
DVA-funded physiotherapy does need a referral. It usually comes from your GP, though for a first cycle it can also come from a medical specialist, a hospital doctor or a hospital discharge planner.
- A referral covers a treatment cycle of up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever comes first. If you still need treatment, your GP can review your progress and refer you for another cycle.
- Gold Card holders are covered for any condition. White Card holders are covered for their accepted conditions, which need to be confirmed before treatment starts.
- Veterans with a TPI Gold Card aren’t limited to 12 sessions per referral, though treatment still needs to be clinically necessary.
WorkCover (WorkSafe Victoria)
If you’re injured at work in Victoria, you don’t need a referral and you don’t need approval from WorkSafe to start physiotherapy once your claim has been accepted. What matters is the claim. You’ll usually see your GP first, because only a doctor can issue the first certificate of capacity.
WorkSafe pays for physio according to its fee schedule. If a provider charges more than that, the worker pays the difference, so ask what applies before treatment starts. We treat WorkCover claims, and you can read how that works on our WorkCover and TAC physiotherapy page or see the workplace injuries we commonly manage.
Private health insurance
You don’t need a referral to claim physio on your private health extras. What matters is your policy:
- Check physio is included. Not every extras policy covers it.
- Rebates vary. The amount depends on your fund, your level of cover and your annual limit, and waiting periods can apply to new policies.
- We process rebates on the spot. Our HICAPS terminal means you only pay the gap at reception.
NDIS
NDIS participants don’t need a GP referral to see a physio. What matters is that physiotherapy is funded in your plan. See our NDIS physiotherapy page for more.
Not sure which applies to you?
If you’re unsure, ask before you book. Call or contact the clinic and we’ll talk through what funding makes sense for your situation. Our physiotherapy page covers what to expect at your first visit, and you can book online without a referral.