Currently, the osteopathic workforce operates in areas of prevention such as ongoing care provided to health consumers with musculoskeletal pain issues and chronic conditions. This may include but is not limited to, low back pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, postpartum and pregnancy care etc.
What is Osteopathy Australia advocating for?
Increased Medicare funding and access to osteopathy services for the provision of preventative healthcare. This includes an expansion to the General Practice Chronic Conditions Management Plan (GPCCMP) and the provision of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items for first contact osteopathy services.
Why this benefits Australians
- Effective preventative health care can help to reduce the overall chronic disease burden.[1]
- Reduced out of pocket costs for healthcare consumers to access osteopathic services.
- Increased accessibility to osteopathy care.
Policy issues and barriers
- Limited Medicare funded services are available for osteopathy services and are prescribed for healthcare consumers who already have a chronic health care condition.
- Healthcare consumers must either pay privately or use private health insurance to access osteopathy services for preventative health and general health care.
- Access to Medicare funded osteopathy and allied health care are only accessible with a GP referral, when osteopaths are well placed to be first contact practitioners.
[1] Steel, A. Foley, H., Carter, T., Debono, D., Baker, K., Adams. J. Osteopaths’ perceptions and practice behaviours regarding preventative health in their clinical practice. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. 2025. 1-13.