How to obtain a Eating Disorder Plan Referral

The Australian Government introduced new Medicare subsidies for eating disorder treatment on November 1st 2019. This means that some people with eating disorders will have access to an evidence-based, best practice model of treatment known as an Eating Disorder Plan (EDP), involving Medicare subsidies for dietetics and a mental health clinician over a 12-month period.

EDPs are available to people with a clinical diagnosis of any of the following: anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder or other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED), who also fulfil additional criteria as outlined in the Medicare Benefits Scheduling Book. Your regular GP will be able to identify if you qualify for this referral. 

If you are eligible for an Eating Disorder Plan (EDP) you will begin the initial course of treatment. This includes:

• 20 sessions with a dietitian 

• 10 Eating Disorder Psychological Treatment (EDPT) sessions with a mental health practitioner. 

After 10 EDPT sessions, you will need to see your GP or other managing practitioner to review your Eating Disorder Plan. EDPT sessions are provided in blocks of 10 with a review by the GP in-between until all 40 sessions are used. 

How can I use my EDP Referral at Move for Better Health?

To use your referral at the time of your appointment, our practice must have your referral on file. Ideally your referral should be sent to us prior to your appointment by the GP, however you can bring in a signed hard copy of the referral on the day if needed. 

At the time of billing, we will request payment in full for the service you received. We will then submit your claim to Medicare through our online claiming system, so your Medicare rebate can be refunded into your nominated bank account within a short time frame (usually within 24 hours).

The rebate you will receive for each visit will depend on which service you are receiving. For dietetics services, you will receive the current CDM rebate rate. Your rebate will be higher, at the current MHTP rate, for Psychology services. This is unless you have reached the Medicare safety net, at which point the rebate is increased to a higher percentage of the total cost of the service (often 80% – 100% of the total cost, depending on the individual circumstances). 

Unfortunately you are not able to claim with both Medicare and Private Health Insurance for the same service. However when you have exhausted your allocated Medicare sessions, we can switch to using private health insurance – if you have cover for that allied health discipline – so that you still only need to pay the gap that’s leftover after the private health insurance rebate has been paid. 

The costs of each service depends on which type of allied health practitioner you need to see, the type of service you require, and whether you have any government concessions. To find the exact costs and gaps involved with our services, please contact us to find out more.