Dr Voss Gibson•
GP Chronic Condition Management Plans in 2026: Eligibility, Telehealth Access and What Medicare Covers
If you live with an ongoing health condition, a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP) can give you up to five Medicare-subsidised allied health sessions a year — physiotherapy, psychology, podiatry, dietetics and more — plus a structured plan to coordinate your care. The system was streamlined in July 2025, replacing the older "GP Management Plan" and "Team Care Arrangements" with a single, simpler plan, and much of it can now be arranged via telehealth. This guide explains, in plain English, who's eligible, exactly what you get, and how to set one up — with the current 2026 rules, not the outdated versions still floating around online.
What Is a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan?
A GP Chronic Condition Management Plan is a structured plan your GP creates to help manage a chronic or long-term health condition. It documents your condition, your health goals, the care you need, and — importantly — it can unlock partially subsidised access to allied health services that would otherwise cost you the full private fee.
Here's a point of frequent confusion worth clearing up. From 1 July 2025, the framework was reformed: the previous GP Management Plan (GPMP) and Team Care Arrangements (TCA) — and the even older "EPC" or "Care Plan" language — were combined into a single streamlined GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP). If you see those old terms online, they're describing the pre-2025 system. A key practical change: your GP no longer has to coordinate with two other providers before creating your plan, which removed a genuine barrier and speeds the whole thing up.
Who Is Eligible?
The eligibility rule is refreshingly simple, and broader than many people assume. You may be eligible if you have at least one medical condition that has been present — or is likely to be present — for at least six months, or that is terminal.
Crucially, there's no fixed list of qualifying conditions. Your GP determines eligibility using clinical judgment about whether your condition is long-term and would benefit from a plan. That said, conditions commonly managed under a GPCCMP include:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Asthma and other chronic respiratory conditions
- Arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions
- Heart disease and hypertension
- Chronic pain, including chronic back pain
- Mental health conditions
- Chronic kidney disease and many others
If you're unsure whether your situation qualifies, that's exactly the conversation to have with your GP — the threshold is more accessible than most people realise.
What You Actually Get
This is the part with real practical value. Here's what a GPCCMP can give you:
| What you get | The detail |
|---|---|
| What you get:Subsidised allied health sessions | The detail:Up to 5 individual sessions per calendar year (10 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients) |
| What you get:Choice of disciplines | The detail:Physiotherapy, psychology, exercise physiology, podiatry, dietetics, occupational therapy, and more |
| What you get:Group diabetes services | The detail:For type 2 diabetes, up to 8 group services (dietetics, diabetes education, exercise physiology) if suitable |
| What you get:The plan itself + reviews | The detail:Preparation of your plan, plus reviews every 3 months if clinically relevant |
A few honest notes on cost. The current Medicare rebate for these allied health sessions is around $63.40 per session (about $61.80 for psychology). Most allied health clinics set their own fees and charge above the rebate, so you'll usually pay a gap — the difference between the clinic's fee and the Medicare rebate. Some clinics bulk bill these sessions; many don't. It's always worth asking a clinic about their fees before booking, so there are no surprises.
Your five sessions are also flexible: you can direct all five to one discipline (say, physiotherapy) or split them across several (say, two physio, three podiatry).
Can You Get a Care Plan Through Telehealth?
Yes — and this is where it gets convenient. Both the preparation of your plan and its reviews can often be done via telehealth, saving you a trip to the clinic.
There's one important condition. To access most Medicare-rebated telehealth, you generally need an established clinical relationship with the practice — meaning you (or the practice) have seen each other in person within the past 12 months. This "existing relationship" rule is designed to support continuity of care. There are some exemptions (for example, children under 12 months, people experiencing homelessness, and certain other circumstances), but for most people the 12-month rule applies.
Registering with MyMedicare — a free program that formally links you to your regular practice — strengthens this continuity and, for registered patients, means you access your plan and reviews through your registered practice.
How to Set One Up
The process is straightforward:
- Book a longer consultation. Preparing a plan takes more time than a standard appointment, so let the clinic know that's the purpose.
- Your GP assesses and prepares the plan. They'll review your condition, your history and your goals, and document a management plan with you. (A practice nurse may assist.)
- Get your referral letter. Since July 2025, referrals to allied health are made via a simple referral letter — the old structured Medicare form is gone. This letter is what your allied health provider needs.
- Choose your providers. You can pick any eligible allied health practitioner you like — the referral doesn't lock you to a specific clinic.
- Attend your sessions, and have your plan reviewed as needed (reviews are available every 3 months if clinically relevant) to keep it current.
How to Get the Most From Your Plan
A few practical tips to maximise the benefit:
- Allocate your sessions thoughtfully. Think about where five sessions will help most across the year, and tell your GP or the clinics how you'd like them split.
- Keep your own tally. It's ultimately your responsibility to track how many of your five sessions you've used. If you're unsure, you can contact Medicare to check. Providers across different clinics won't always see each other's usage.
- Note the referral validity. A GPCCMP referral is generally valid for 18 months, and you need a plan prepared or reviewed within the past 18 months to keep using it — so a timely review keeps your access flowing.
- Combine with other supports. A GPCCMP sits alongside other Medicare supports; your GP can help you make sense of how they fit together.
A Note on the 2027 Change
One forward-looking detail worth knowing. If you had an older GPMP or TCA in place before 1 July 2025, you can keep accessing services under it during a transition period — but from 1 July 2027, you'll need a current GPCCMP to continue accessing allied health services. If you're relying on an older plan, it's wise not to leave the transition to the last minute. A quick conversation with your GP well before then keeps your care uninterrupted.
