Motor Vehicle Accident Schemes

Each state and territory in Australia operates a scheme for people injured in a motor vehicle under the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) arrangements. Osteopaths are eligible to provide services under each state and territory’s motor accident scheme. This means you can consult an osteopath if you have been injured in a motor vehicle, have a neurological or musculoskeletal injury (that is, an injury to your bones, muscles, joints, tendons or nerves) and are approved to receive rebated or paid treatments for your injury by your claim case manager.

In general, you will need a referral from a GP to see an osteopath for a motor vehicle accident. In approving consultations with an osteopath, your claim case manager may ask if a GP has referred you.

Depending on the severity of your motor vehicle injury and your recovery goals, your case manager may grant approval for a certain number of clinical sessions with an osteopath. If you still have limitations once the approved number of sessions are used, the osteopath will generally need to seek further approval for more sessions from your case manager. Some regions have special forms that need to be completed by an osteopath in seeking permission to treat you. Ask your injury case manager for any special forms that need to be completed by an osteopath in your claim approval process.

When you first attend an osteopathic clinic, bring your claim number, your GP referral, the contact details of your case manager and any reports about your injury. This will help the osteopath to establish your approval status and identify how best to help you manage your motor vehicle injury.

In some areas, a schedule of fees caps the maximum amount an osteopath will be paid for motor accident injury management services. When there is a capped schedule of fees, your case manager will only pay an osteopath up to the amount specified in the schedule. In some regions, osteopaths can charge a ‘gap payment’ over the schedule of fees, to be paid by a client. If you are approved to consult an osteopath, ask your case manager about the fee rules and ask your osteopath if they intend to charge a gap fee before you proceed with treatment.
An osteopath can give information about your progress to the case manager and others involved in helping you recover from a motor vehicle injury.
If you are not approved to receive services from an osteopath or have pending approval and proceed regardless, you may be responsible for paying for all practitioner services (check with your claim manager). The osteopath will give you invoices with which you can seek reimbursement, but this will be at the discretion of the relevant scheme and your case manager.

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