Changes to exercise physiology arrangements from 1 September 2021
The Government is keen to ensure that medical treatment services for veterans and war widow/ers are safe and effective. With that in mind, DVA works with clinical experts to get the most up-to-date advice about treatments and services.
As part of this work, clinical experts routinely provide advice to the department about various musculoskeletal services. Under DVA arrangements, musculoskeletal professions include physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic and exercise physiology.
It has long been the case that DVA does not pay for concurrent treatment for the same condition from physiotherapists, osteopaths or chiropractors, because patients may not receive clinical benefit from this.
From 1 September 2021, exercise physiology – as a musculoskeletal treatment service – will be considered in a similar way. This means that DVA will not pay for the second service where a person has exercise physiology and another musculoskeletal service on the same day, for treatment of the same condition.
DVA will continue to pay for an exercise physiology service on the same day as another musculoskeletal treatment, where the treatment is for different health conditions.
If you need help to access treatment, please contact DVA on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372). For example, DVA clients who live in rural and remote areas, or who are located a significant distance from their health care providers, may want assistance with travel for treatment arrangements.
You might also like to talk to your health care practitioner about telehealth consultations, which are available for musculoskeletal treatment.
There may be a small number of cases where, due to clinical needs, a client may benefit from accessing more than one musculoskeletal therapy for the same condition on the same day. Where it is clinically justified, your provider can apply to DVA for prior approval for your second service.
More information can be found on the ‘Changes to exercise physiology’ page of the DVA website.
