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Expanded MBS access for GP-referred speech pathology
The investment will increase access to support services for children and young people with severe speech and language disorders.
From 1 March 2026, eligible patients will receive Medicare rebates for up to eight assessments and 20 treatment sessions.
As of 1 March GPs will be able to refer patients to Medicare-funded speech pathology services in addition to chronic condition management sessions, under an expanded offering announced by the Federal Government.
As part of the change, eligible patients will receive rebates for up to eight assessments and 20 treatment sessions with a range of allied health professionals, including speech pathologists.
Currently, these patients are only able to access five chronic condition management sessions a year across MBS allied health professions.
The $74.9 million investment will increase access to support services for children and young people with severe speech and language disorders, including stuttering, speech sound disorders, cleft lip and cleft palate.
The change is expected to result in more than 385,000 patients under 25 years old being able to access ‘life-changing speech pathology services’ through the MBS.
Speech Pathology Australia President Kathryn McKinley said the access will ‘improve equity, reduce financial pressure on families and support stronger lifelong outcomes for children and young people’.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright echoed this sentiment, also welcoming the announcement.
‘For kids who are at the point where they need intensive speech pathology, five visits just wasn’t enough, so this is a really sensible move,’ he told newsGP.
‘This change will help children who need this access to care at the right time.’
Patients can access the suite of services through referral to a speech pathologist or other allied health professional by their GP, specialist or consultant physician.
It comes in addition to existing funding to assist with treatment costs for cleft and craniofacial conditions requiring major dental and skeletal treatment.
Federal Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler said ‘speech pathology can be life changing’ and this investment means more kids and young adults can get ‘the best start to life’.
‘Children with cleft conditions require a range of medical supports from birth and the expansion of access to speech therapies increases access at this critical developmental stage of life,’ he said.
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