Chinese medicine practitioner acupuncturist

TAC Item Number	Service Description	TAC Maximum Fee 1 July 2006
A600	Initial Consultation	$42.55
A602	Standard Consultation	$34.75

These fees should be read in conjunction with the TAC's policy on acupuncture.

Acupuncture services should not be provided without prior approval.

Practitioners requesting prior approval should advise the TAC of the details of the injury to be treated, the expected number of consultations required and the expected results together with advice of how outcomes are to be measured.

Note:

The TAC maximum fee includes an allowance for GST where deemed applicable and it is the provider's responsibility to clarify with the ATO which services are taxable supplies for GST purposes.

Acupuncture

Policy

The TAC will fund the reasonable cost of acupuncture services for injuries that are a result of the transport accident when the treatment is performed by a provider registered to perform acupuncture services in accordance with the Chinese Medicine Registration Act 2000, or with the appropriate endorsement from their particular professional's registration board.

Acupuncture services should not be provided without prior approval unless the services form part of a standard medical consultation based on the appropriate item numbers in the Commonwealth Medicare Benefits Schedule (CMBS). Practitioners requesting prior approval should advise the TAC of the details of the injury to be treated, the expected number of consultations required and the expected results together with advice of how they will measure the outcomes.

Guidelines

Which providers can be registered to perform Acupuncture?

Medical practitioners, pharmacists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, nurses, dentists, optometrists, Chinese medicine practitioners or oriental medicine practitioners, registered in accordance with the Chinese Medicine Registration Act 2000, or with the appropriate endorsement from their particular profession's registration board.

In relation to acupuncture what will the TAC fund?

Where the service is provided by a registered medical practitioner the TAC will fundthe TAC scheduled fee based on the appropriate item numbers in the Commonwealth Medicare Benefits Schedule (CMBS). Payment for acupuncture under a CMBS item number also covers any consultation on the same occasion and any other attendance on the same day for the condition for which acupuncture services were provided.

Where the service is provided by any other registered provider;

1. The TAC will pay on a consultation basis in accordance with its schedule of fees for the provider type.
   
   
2. Only one consultation per day will be paid irrespective of any other form of service provided to the patient on the same day.

In relation to Acupuncture services what will the TAC not fund?

The TAC will not fund:

• the cost of disposable acupuncture needles or dressings
  
• treatment where there is no proper clinical justification for this service
  
• more than one initial consultation by the same provider or clinic, except where there is a gap in treatment of greater than six months
  
• treatment where the cost is included in the hospital bed fee (see hospitals policies)
  
• services for a condition that existed before a transport accident or that is not a direct result of a transport accident
  
• fees associated with non-attendance or telephone consultations
  
• treatment subcontracted to a non-registered provider
  
• treatment provided outside the Commonwealth of Australia
  
• treatment provided more than two years prior to the request for funding (see limit on liability policy)