Updates to chronic condition management plans under Medicare came into effect at the start of July 2025. The changes aim to simplify the process and improve the way your healthcare team works together.

This includes diabetes care plans and how people living with diabetes are referred to allied health professionals.

Why is this important for people living with diabetes and their healthcare team?

A diabetes care plan takes into consideration your health goals, your medical conditions and things you can do to live well with diabetes to aim to avoid complications. It can also provide you subsidised access to allied health professionals to get you the best care possible.

What’s changing?

Previously, your doctor might have created a Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM) or Team Care Arrangement (TCA) to help manage your diabetes and coordinate care with other health professionals. These two plans have been replaced by a single, streamlined plan called the GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP).

If you have an existing plan in place before July 1, 2025, it will remain valid. You can continue to access services under these older plans until June 30, 2027. Any new care plans created  after July 1, 2025, will be the new GPCCMP.

To continue accessing Medicare-funded allied health services under your care plan, your GPCCMP (or your old plan during the transition period) must have been prepared or reviewed in the previous 18 months. This encourages regular check-ins with your GP to ensure your care plan is up-to-date and meeting your ongoing needs.

How to get referrals for diabetes educators, dietitians and other allied health that are covered by Medicare

The way your doctor refers you to allied health professionals (like dietitians, podiatrists, exercise physiologists, or diabetes educators) has changed. Instead of specific referral forms, referrals will now be made through a standard referral letter, similar to how your GP refers you to a medical specialist. This aims to make the referral process more straightforward.

Your doctor will include all the necessary information about your condition and why allied health services are needed in this letter. While it’s a standard letter there are still minimum requirements that the referral letter must include to be valid for Medicare purposes. These are:

• name of your doctor
• address of the practice, or their provider number
• date the referral was made
• the validity of the referral (referrals will be valid for 18 months from the date of the first service provided under the referral, unless otherwise specified)
• letter must be written, signed and dated by your doctor (which may be by electronic signature)
• an explanation of the reasons for the referral, including any information about your condition that your doctor believes the allied health professional needs to know. This is crucial for ensuring the allied health professional has enough context to provide appropriate care. 

Referrals can be signed and transmitted electronically, or printed out.

What’s staying the same?  

The nature and number of individual and group allied health services you can access under these arrangements are not changing. You will still be eligible for up to five (5) individual allied health services per calendar year. A GPCCMP can be prepared once every 12 months. New plans do not need to be prepared each year, existing plans can continue to be reviewed. Allied health professionals may bulk bill under Medicare or charge a gap fee; you will have to check with each health professional. 

If you have type 2 diabetes, you can continue to access group allied health services (e.g., group education sessions with a diabetes educator, dietitian or exercise physiologist).

Your allied health professionals will still need to provide written reports back to your referring doctor, especially after your first and last visit, to keep them updated on your progress.

Next steps

For people living with all types of diabetes, these changes are designed to help with the coordination and accessibility of your care. While subsidies for health services remain the same, referrals now last 18 months, allowing you more time to access the support you need more consistently.

So, at your next doctor’s appointment you can discuss transitioning to a new plan and any referral letters you might need. Make sure your care plan is reviewed at least every 18 months to maintain eligibility for allied health services.

If you have any questions or concerns, the best place to start is by speaking with your doctor, nurse practitioner or practice nurse. They can explain how these changes specifically apply to your individual care plan.

You can search for doctors and other health services in your area at healthdirect.gov.au/australian-health-services.

For more detailed information you can check out the official resources available on the Department of Health and Aged Care and Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) websites.