Chronic Disease Management Plans (formerly Enhanced Primary Care or EPC Plans) are a government-funded healthcare scheme that allows patients with chronic or complex care needs to access allied health services such as Physiotherapy or Dietetics. CDM plans enable GPs to coordinate with allied health professionals to provide a tailored treatment pathway. To be eligible for a CDM plan, a GP must identify that their patient has a chronic medical condition that meets several specific criteria.

 

When placed on a CDM plan, a patient is eligible for up to 5 visits across a minimum of 2 allied health professions within a calendar year. For example, a patient with longstanding lower back pain may be placed on a CDM plan on the 5th of June 2022, which provides them 3 visits to a physiotherapist and 2 visits to a dietitian. If the sessions are not used within the year, the patient is able to use them the following year, however, this will count towards the quota for the following year, and does not stack. I.e. you can receive 5 in 2022, not use any of them, and get another 5 in 2023 and use 10. You will only be able to use the 5.

 

As a government-funded service, the CDM plan covers 50% of our normal services. As such, we charge a $30 gap payment to cover a portion of the remaining 50%. At Praxis we also identify that for some, the $30 gap fee may also be difficult to manage financially. So for patients who hold a current, valid pension card, we are happy to waive the gap fee. Please ensure you have your pension card available to be sited in the clinic. 

 

For more information, please visit The Department of Health website.