Medicare, Private Health, TAC & WorkSafe Registered

Medicare Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Rebates

Speechaus speech pathologists are registered Medicare service providers.

People with a chronic medical condition may be eligible for medicare rebates to cover up to five speech pathology sessions per annum. These rebates are available where your general practitioner has identified that the condition is a chronic medical condition requiring a GP Management plan. A referral from your GP and accompanying CDM plan is required to be eligible for any medicare rebates.

Please note that Medicare does not provide rebates for accent reduction. To be eligible for rebates, you must present with a chronic condition that has existed for at least 6 months as well as complex care requirements entailing that you require care from at least two other health providers in addition to your GP. Where a client is referred on a CDM plan, a gap fee will be payable for sessions. Medicare rebates speech pathology presently at $58.30 per session (effective as of July 2023).

Consult with your General Practitioner to determine your eligibility for a CDM plan. See more information about Medicare CDM plans here.

Speechaus is registered as a Medicare provider but you will only be eligible for Medicare rebates if you are referred to us via your General Practitioner under a Chronic Disease Management Plan. Medicare rebates are only eligible if you have been diagnosed with a speech, communication or swallowing disorder that has persisted, or is likely to persist, for at least 6 months.

Medicare rebates are not available for accent reduction training services, professional communication goals or services where no communication, voice or swallowing diagnosis is present.

*Speechaus does not provide bulk billing under any circumstances.

Private Health Insurance

Check with your health fund first!

Speech Pathology is covered by Private Health funds for diagnosable medical disorders and communication disorders such as stuttering, voice disorders and neurological impairments. Technically, an accent is not a communication disorder. Most Private Health funds stipulate that they do not cover accent reduction, elocution or English pronunciation training. 

Speechaus is a registered provider for private health fund rebates. Please clarify with your health care fund as to whether you are eligible for speech pathology extras.

For health fund services the following billing codes will apply:

Speech Pathology Assessment Session: 310

Speech Pathology Treatment Session : 340

For speech pathology services to be rebatable with private health insurers or medicare, they must be billed according to medical/ chronic speech pathology conditions under legal codes 310, 340. These codes are given under clinical authority and as medical professionals we must apply codes only in light of a clinical diagnosis. As such most HF do not allow for elocution or accent as these are seen a nominal, non medical services and we are not able to apply these codes without a diagnosis of a communication condition like stuttering, a lisp, swallowing disorders, language disorder or a voice disorder. Pronunciation services related to first language influence and professional communication goals separate from a medical speech pathology diagnosis are not covered by Medicare or Private health legally under any speech pathologist’s billing. This is because an accent or the need to improve workplace communication is not a medical condition.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Speechaus accepts self-managed & plan-managed NDIS clients. We can provide speech therapy services and communication support for all adults under these options.

The Traffic Accident Commission

Speech pathology rehabilitation after your accident

Speechaus may be able to provide speech pathology services to people with an approved TAC claim. Referrals to Speechaus must be made through your general practitioner. Please make sure that your TAC claim is approved by your TAC case manager prior to your initial appointment.

While Speechaus provides treatment for TAC clients, a gap fee will be required to cover the full cost of services received. If you have approval for a TAC claim, please bring the following information to your initial assessment:

• TAC claim number
• Contact details for your TAC Case Manager
• Date of transport accident
• Referral letter from your GP
• Claim approval confirmation letter from TAC

If you have not received approval for your TAC claim prior to your initial appointment, payment of the full fee will be required on the day of assessment. See more information about TAC claims here.

WorkSafe

Supporting your recovery in WorkSafe Injury

We are a registered provider of speech pathology services for WorkSafe Injured Workers.

Speechaus may be able to provide speech pathology services to people with an approved WorkSafe Victoria Victorian Workers’ Compensation claim. Referrals to Speechaus must be made through your general practitioner and managed by your WorkSafe agent. 

Please make sure that your TAC claim is approved by your WorkSafe agent prior to your initial appointment.

While Speechaus provides treatment for WorkSafe clients, a gap fee will be required to cover the full cost of services received. If you have approval for speech therapy services as an injured worker, please submit the following information to reception prior your initial assessment:

• Claim number
• Contact details for your WorkSafe Agent
• Date of incident
• Referral letter from your GP
• Compensation approval confirmation letter

If you have not received approval for your WorkSafe claim prior to your initial appointment, payment of the full fee will be required on the day of assessment. See more information about the provision of speech therapy services to WorkSafe injured workers here.

Medical Professionals & Case Managers

Refer to our team

If you are a referrer looking to refer your patient or client, click here to register your referral for speech pathology treatment services at Speechaus, or contact our reception team.

Company Sponsorship

Employer support for your sessions at Speechaus

Many employers assist in the payment of English pronunciation programs at Speechaus in order to develop their staff to better meet Key Performance Indicators, particularly in the areas of communication. We are able to provide information to your employer or recruiter. If you have any questions about this contact us for further information.