Can non-VR GPs do telehealth in Australia?
Quick answer
Often yes, but not at NewDoc. Several Australian telehealth platforms accept non-VR doctors: in our five-platform comparison, only two required fellowship. Medicare pays substantially lower rebates for non-VR attendances, which shapes what those roles pay, and bulk billed general-practice models like NewDoc recruit vocationally registered GPs only (FRACGP or FACRRM). The route into the strongest roles is completing fellowship, via the RACGP Fellowship Support Program or the ACRRM Independent Pathway.
Why NewDoc recruits VR only
Bulk billed telehealth lives on Medicare rebates, and Medicare rebates general practice attendances at two levels: the higher rates for vocationally registered GPs and substantially lower rates for non-VR doctors. On a bulk billed model the non-VR rebate rarely supports competitive doctor pay, which is why the strongest advertised telehealth GP rates assume VR status. Fellowship is also a clean, publicly verifiable marker of specialist-level training: any platform can confirm it on the AHPRA register in seconds. Fellowship-only hiring is the exception across the market, not the default, and that is the point: it is a deliberate model choice, not an industry norm.
NewDoc’s position is deliberate: VR only. The requirement is FRACGP or FACRRM fellowship plus current AHPRA registration as a medical practitioner. If that is you, the role and registration form are here.
What non-VR doctors can do
Non-VR doctors work across Australian medicine: hospital roles, supervised general practice positions, and programs with their own Medicare access arrangements. Several telehealth platforms accept non-VR doctors too; our platform comparison records who required what when we last verified. Some telehealth billing is possible in limited circumstances at the lower rebate levels. The details are item-specific and change; check MBS Online or Services Australia rather than relying on a summary, including this one.
One more restriction to know about: international medical graduates subject to the Section 19AB ten-year moratorium
under the Health Insurance Act 1973 carry provider-number location restrictions that can affect telehealth arrangements even after fellowship. If the moratorium applies to you, confirm your individual position with Services Australia before signing with any platform.
The pathways to fellowship
- RACGP Fellowship Support Program (FSP): the RACGP’s self-funded education and training program for non-VR doctors working towards FRACGP, with intakes twice a year.
- ACRRM Independent Pathway: ACRRM’s flexible, self-directed route to FACRRM, with a dedicated support program for non-VR doctors.
- Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP): the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s program for eligible doctors preparing to enter a fellowship pathway.
Which pathway fits depends on your registration type, experience and exam position: the colleges assess that individually. Fellowship is not quite the last step: you then apply to the Medical Board for specialist registration in general practice, and once that registration is granted, Medicare recognises you at the higher rebates automatically and platform roles open up. Our VR explainer covers how that recognition works.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-VR doctor bill Medicare for telehealth consultations?
In limited circumstances, and at substantially lower rebates than a VR GP. Eligibility depends on the doctor's registration, the program they work under and the specific MBS items involved. Check the current rules on MBS Online or with Services Australia before relying on any arrangement.
Why do some platforms, including NewDoc, hire VR GPs only?
Economics and standards. On a bulk billed model, the higher VR rebates are what make strong doctor pay sustainable, and fellowship is a clean, verifiable marker of specialist-level general practice training. That is why NewDoc's requirement is FRACGP or FACRRM fellowship plus current AHPRA registration. Platforms on other models can and do use non-VR doctors at different economics; fellowship-only hiring is the exception across the market, not the default.
I am an IMG with fellowship. Can I do telehealth from anywhere in Australia?
Not automatically. Doctors subject to the Section 19AB ten-year moratorium under the Health Insurance Act 1973 have provider-number location restrictions that can affect telehealth billing arrangements, even after fellowship. Confirm your individual position with Services Australia before accepting any telehealth role.
What is the fastest way for a non-VR GP to become eligible for platform work?
Complete fellowship. The RACGP Fellowship Support Program and the ACRRM Independent Pathway are the main self-funded routes for non-VR doctors, and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing runs a Pre-Fellowship Program for eligible doctors preparing to enter a fellowship pathway. Timelines depend on your experience and exam readiness.
Does NewDoc hire non-VR GPs?
No. NewDoc recruits vocationally registered GPs only: FRACGP or FACRRM fellowship plus current AHPRA registration. If you are part-way to fellowship, register your interest once you are fellowed.
Sources
- Fellowship Support Program, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
- Independent Pathway: non-vocationally registered support program, Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
- Pre-Fellowship Program, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Online, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Program details verified against the sources above on 9 August 2026. Medicare billing eligibility is individual and item-specific: confirm your position with Services Australia, AHPRA and your college. This page is general information for medical practitioners, not legal or financial advice.
Published by NewDoc. Last updated 9 August 2026.