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Bulk Billing Chiropractor: How the Medicare Pathway Works

Medicare rebates chiropractic only under a care plan from your usual GP: $63.40 per session within the shared 5-session annual cap. Here is how to qualify and what to ask a clinic.

Is a chiropractor covered by Medicare, and how do I qualify?

Not for casual visits. Medicare only rebates chiropractic through a GP chronic condition management plan: your usual GP assesses whether a chronic condition (6 months or longer) with complex care needs warrants it, prepares the plan, and refers you within the 5 Medicare-rebated allied health sessions available per calendar year, per Services Australia. The rebate is $63.40 per session (MBS item 10964, from 1 July 2026); chiropractors who bulk bill accept that as full payment.

The plan must come from your MyMedicare practice or usual GP, so NewDoc does not prepare it. A NewDoc GP can still help with the back or joint problem itself, bulk billed: $0 if you are Medicare eligible.

Who prepares the plan

Medicare requires the plan, its reviews and the referral to come from the practice you are registered with under MyMedicare, or from your usual GP, the one who provides most of your care. NewDoc is a telehealth service most people use alongside their regular practice, so NewDoc does not prepare care plans. Book a longer appointment with the practice you normally attend and say it is about a chronic condition management plan; our care plan guide covers what to ask for. Whether chiropractic belongs on your plan at all is that GP's clinical assessment.

Where chiropractic sits in the Medicare system

Chiropractors are AHPRA-registered practitioners whose work focuses on the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine. Medicare treats chiropractic like the other allied health professions in the chronic condition framework: item 10964 is claimable only when a GP has prepared a chronic condition management plan and referred you, the rebate is $63.40 per session, and sessions draw from the same 5-per-calendar-year allowance as physiotherapy, podiatry, dietetics, and the rest. The plan must be in place, or reviewed, within the last 18 months for referrals to stay valid.

Costs, gaps, and what to ask a clinic

Chiropractic fees are set by each clinic, and initial consultations usually cost more than follow-up visits. Under a care plan referral, a bulk billing clinic accepts the $63.40 rebate as full payment; others charge a gap. Two questions sort it out before you book: do you bulk bill sessions under a care plan? and what is the gap for follow-up visits if not? Private health extras cover commonly includes chiropractic and works independently of Medicare, though you cannot claim both for the same visit.

Checking registration and finding a clinic

Every practising chiropractor must hold registration with the Chiropractic Board of Australia, checkable on the public AHPRA register. To find clinics near you, the healthdirect service finder lists chiropractic services by suburb. When Medicare rebates matter to you, confirm at booking that the clinic processes care plan claims; most do, but billing arrangements differ.

How NewDoc fits in

NewDoc is a telehealth GP service with no commercial arrangement with any chiropractic clinic or allied health provider, and the care plan comes from your usual GP, so NewDoc does not prepare it. Where a NewDoc GP can help is the problem itself: for back pain and other musculoskeletal problems, a NewDoc GP can assess you by video, prescribe pain relief where clinically appropriate, arrange imaging or a specialist referral, and advise which allied health services fit your situation. The consult is bulk billed, $0 if you are Medicare eligible, and you can book any chiropractor or physio privately without a referral.

References

This content is informational and does not replace individual medical advice. For personal assessment, book a consultation with your GP. In emergencies, call 000.

Reviewed by Dr. Jason Yu FRACGP

Last reviewed 5 September 2026. Editorial policy

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Frequently asked questions

Is chiropractic covered by Medicare?

Only under a GP chronic condition management plan. Casual chiropractic visits get no Medicare rebate. If your GP assesses that your chronic condition (6 months or longer) involves complex care needs and warrants chiropractic care as part of the plan, Medicare rebates $63.40 per session (MBS item 10964, from 1 July 2026), within the shared cap of 5 allied health sessions per calendar year.

Do chiropractors bulk bill?

Some do for care plan sessions, accepting the $63.40 rebate as full payment so you pay $0; many charge their standard fee and you pay the gap after claiming the rebate. It is each clinic's choice, so ask when you book, and mention a concession card if you hold one.

How many chiropractic sessions does Medicare cover?

Up to 5 individual allied health sessions per calendar year under a chronic condition management plan, and that cap is shared across every allied health service on the plan, not 5 per profession. The count resets on 1 January and unused sessions do not roll over.

Should I see a chiropractor or a physiotherapist under my care plan?

That is a decision to make with the GP who manages your plan, based on your condition, history, and goals. Both professions are AHPRA-registered and both can be included on a chronic condition management plan under the same 5-session allowance. Your GP can also split sessions across professions if that suits your care.

How do I check a chiropractor is registered?

All chiropractors practising in Australia must be registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia. You can confirm any practitioner's registration, and see any conditions on it, by searching their name on the public register at ahpra.gov.au.

Can a telehealth GP put chiropractic on my care plan?

Only the GP at your own practice. Medicare requires the plan, its reviews and the referrals to come from the practice you are registered with under MyMedicare, or from your usual GP, so NewDoc does not prepare care plans or issue plan-based referrals. If your own practice offers video appointments, the plan consult can happen by video through them (MBS item 92029; there is no phone item). Whether chiropractic care suits your condition is that GP's clinical assessment.

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