What is an Enhanced Primary Care plan (EPC) is and what it isn’t!

An EPC is a GP referral subsidized by Medicare for eligible patients who require allied health services such as Exercise Physiology. These can offer 2-5 rebated sessions based on your GP management plan. This option is available to people who are not on other rebated schemes such as NDIS and DVA and have private health insurance.
It exists to enable patients access to affordable allied health services, for a limited period of one year and is a kick start to managing an acute or chronic condition through in Clinic and/or in home exercise programs prescribed by an exercise physiologist.

An EPC however is not a long-term solution to a chronic health condition as you may require more in person sessions than the maximum of 5 prescribed through the year. It therefore, is not recommended to spread the sessions out to cover the full year as your adherence to exercise will be severely restricted.
An EPC is not just for a generalized exercise program, it should be for a specific acute or chronic condition identified by your GP.
This rebated service still requires a gap payment depending on the clinic charge and the length of the session. Private health insurance will sometimes provide a bigger rebate as well as many more sessions than 5.

In summary, we recommend using an EPC if other rebated schemes are not available such as NDIS, DVA or private health insurance.
However, there is a place for an EPC in enabling patients to commence treatment with an allied health professional. The EPCs session commitment can enable patients to build momentum in their treatment and after which establish a long-term plan of future management of a health condition.