YOU GENERALLY DON’T NEED A CHIROPRACTOR REFERRAL
Chiropractors are considered primary contact health professionals which means you don’t need a referral to see us. As part of the 5-year degree at university Chiro’s learn about the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of different conditions. This means we are trained to recognise when something is outside of our scope or needs medical treatment. If we can’t help you or think that you might need some extra tests or investigations to figure out the source of your problem, we will refer you back to your GP or family doctor.DO I NEED A REFERRAL TO SEE A CHIRO FOR MEDICARE, DVA, ICWA OR WORKCOVER?
Yes, if you are having treatment covered or reimbursed by a government program or third-party provider, then you will generally need a referral from your GP or family doctor? This applies to the following:
- Medicare Care Plans (Chronic Health Disease Management Plans) – these allow patients with chronic conditions present for more than 6 months (including back pain, neck pain or osteoarthritis) to receive partial funding on up to 5 treatment sessions in a 12 month period
- Department of Veterans Affair (DVA) – for white or gold card holders seeking chiro treatment covered under DVA
- Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA) – may cover treatment if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident sustaining injuries where you are not at fault. GP referrals may not always be required for ICWA Chiro treatment
- WorkCover (Workers Compensation) – may cover treatment for Workers Compensation claim related injuries
HOW DO I GET A CHIROPRACTOR REFERRAL?
As we have discussed here, you generally do not need a referral to see us. However if you are covered by one of the above schemes (Medicare care plan, DVA, ICWA or WorkCover) then you will need to book an appointment to see your GP or family doctor to discuss this with them and obtain the referral.
Still unsure about how it works? We are here to help
The process of seeing a chiropractor can be confusing at times, especially if it’s your first time. If you are still unsure what you need to do or if you need a referral, please feel free to call our friendly team on (08) 6184 8834 or Email us today!