Medicare and diabetes
Medicare is Australia’s universal health care system and covers many health care costs. Here, you will find essential information on how Medicare supports people living with diabetes. It outlines the various services, benefits, and resources available under Medicare. With this information, you can navigate your healthcare options.
Medicare plans and rebates
From 1 July 2025, Medicare will implement significant reforms to the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) framework. These changes are:
- Replacement of GP Management Plans and Team Care Arrangements with a single, streamlined Chronic Condition Management Plan.
- Referral forms will no longer be valid; referrals must now be in the form of referral letters.
- Patients must have a plan prepared or reviewed within the past 18 months to access subsidised allied health services.
- GPs or prescribed medical practitioners are solely responsible for writing referral letters.
Patients that had a GP management plan and/or team care arrangement in place prior to 1 July 2025 will be able to continue to access services consistent with those plans for two years. From 1 July 2027, a GP chronic condition management plan will be required for ongoing access to allied health services.
Mental Health Treatment Plan
For people with a mental health condition, Medicare could fund up to ten individual sessions and up to an additional six sessions along with ten group therapy sessions in a calendar year for you to see a:
- Clinical psychologist
- Psychologist
- Occupational therapist
- Social worker
- Qualified medical practitioner
To check if you meet the requirements for these plans or rebates, speak to your doctor, as they need to create a mental health plan, just like to GP management plan. You can also check with Medicare on 132 011.
For further help please contact our advocacy staff or diabetes educators by calling 1300 136 588 or head to our contact us page.
Additional Medicare services
Other Medicare services which may be helpful include:
- Medicare Safety Net
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) – reduces the cost of a wide range of prescription medicines
- PBS Safety Net – reduces the cost of a wide range of prescription medicines
For more information about these Medicare services Visit Services Australia on managing chronic medical conditions.
Medicare updates their programs across the year, so it is worth visiting their website on a regular basis.
Medicare and cruise ships
Medicare benefits are only payable to cruise passengers if you are travelling between two Australian ports or the medical staff on the ship have Australian provider numbers.
Australians with diabetes are advised to take out travel insurance.