The After Hours Other Medical Practitioners (AHOMPs) program provides access to the higher Medicare rebates for after hours general practice services provided through an accredited general practice or an accredited Medical Deputising Service (MDS).

The AHOMPs is closed to new participants, doctors currently participating in the AHOMPs will be grandfathered and can continue to access the higher Vocationally Recognised (VR) items in the MBS until 30 June 2023. For more information go to The Department of Health website.

Chronic disease management (CDM) items assist GPs to plan and coordinate the care of patients with chronic or terminal medical conditions, including patients who require multidisciplinary, team-based care from a GP and at least two other health or care providers. 

Your patients who have, or will have, a chronic condition for at least six months are eligible for a GP Management Plan (item 721). Patients who also have complex care needs are also eligible for Team Care Arrangements (item 723).

Patients who have a chronic medical condition and complex care needs and are being managed by their GP under a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements are eligible for Medicare rebates for certain allied health services on referral from their GP. More information is available on The Department of Health website. Patient information on chronic disease and CDM items is available here.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs Coordinated Veterans’ Care Program (CVC) is a planned and coordinated health care model for eligible Gold Card holders who have a chronic condition, complex care needs and are at risk of unplanned hospitalisation. For information including useful assessment and patient self-assessment tools go to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs website.

There are Medicare rebates available for the following health assessments:

• Healthy Kids Check
• type 2 diabetes risk evaluation
• the health assessment for people aged 45-49 years
• the health assessment for people aged 75 years and older
• the comprehensive medical assessment for permanent residents of residential aged care facilities
• the health assessment for people with an intellectual disability
• the health assessment for refugees and other humanitarian entrants.

You will find fact sheets, proformas and MBS item numbers for all health assessments at the The Department of Health website. Information on assessments and other services for refugees, people with a disability, children with autism and people with diabetes is also available.

Information on health assessments and follow-up allied health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is available here.

GP Mental Health Treatment items provide a structured framework for GPs to undertake early intervention, assessment and management of patients with mental disorders, as well as providing referral pathways to clinical psychologists, registered psychologists, and appropriately trained social workers and occupational therapists. They are:

• MBS items 2700, 2701, 2715 or 2717 - Preparation of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan
• MBS item 2712 - Review of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan
• MBS item 2713 - GP Mental Health Treatment Consultation

Information for GPs and allied health providers can be found at here.

Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) enables GPs to refer consumers to ATAPS mental health professionals who deliver focused psychological strategies services. ATAPS mental health professionals include psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses, occupational therapists and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers with specific mental health qualifications.

The Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the MBS (Better Access) initiative aims to improve outcomes for people with a clinically-diagnosed mental disorder through evidence-based treatment. Under this initiative, Medicare rebates are available to patients for selected mental health services provided by GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists (clinical and registered) and eligible social workers and occupational therapists. A patient fact sheet on can be found here.

For further information, visit our Mental health page.

Dental Health

Information about Government-subsidised dental services is available on the Department of Health website.

How to find health providers and services for your patients/clients

Information for your patients/clients on how to find health providers can be found on the National Health Service Directory.

HealthPathways provides useful localised information about management and referral options.

Practice Incentive Program (PIP)

Information about the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) including Medicare Service Incentive Payments (SIP) is available on our PIP page.