Medicare

• Your General Practitioner (GP) can help you determine if you are eligible to access services through Medicare.

• Some clients may be eligible for a Medicare rebate.

• If you have been provided with a Medicare plan, you must provide us with a copy so we can complete the required paperwork.

• Please note that we are not a bulk billing practice, and there will be a gap payment for Medicare services.

Private Health Insurance

• Contact your Private Health insurer to identify the rebates you may be eligible for.

• Please inform us if you wish to access private health care rebates so we can ensure you are able to claim.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

• We are able to service NDIS clients who are Plan Managed or Self Managed.

• We are not currently NDIA registered, therefore cannot support Agency Managed clients.

• You can self-refer for Speech Pathology services.

• You can place a referral via our website by clicking this link.

• Alternatively, contact us at abarry@chatling.au to receive a welcome pack and referral form via email.

• Once initial referral information is received, you will be added to our waiting list.

• We will contact you once an appointment is available.

Due to the high demand for services, we have a waiting list across all locations. Once a referral is submitted, we will review the information before confirming that you have been added to the waiting list.

There is a higher demand for after school appointment times, the wait time for an after school appointment will be increased significantly.

Referrals for face to face appointments are no longer accepted where the client is more than 10kms from Hawthorn. If the client is outside of this 10km range, we can offer telehealth services only.

• Clients are offered appointments:

  1. In order of when the referral was placed.

  2. When an appointment time is available within their suburb/location.

• Location is prioritised when booking appointments. This is to ensure travel time and associated fees are kept at a minimum, and to ensure that direct therapy time is prioritised for all clients.

• Returning clients and siblings of existing clients are prioritised to ensure continuity of care and holistic family based supports.

Chatling is not a registered NDIS provider. This means clients can only use their NDIS funding if they have self-managed or plan-managed NDIS plans. If you have an agency managed plan, you will not be able to use NDIS funding with our service.

Speech Pathologists are not eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Instead, Speech Pathology is a self-regulated profession. Speech Pathologists working with NDIS and Medicare clients must be Certified Practicing Speech Pathologists, which is governed by Speech Pathology Australia. All Speech Pathologists at Chatling hold:

• Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist status and membership with Speech Pathology Australia

• Professional indemnity insurance

• A Medicare Provider Number

• A Victorian Working with Children Check

Members of Speech Pathology Australia are bound by The Code of Ethics. Further information on The Code of Ethics and how to report a breach can be found at the following link: https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Public/About-Us/Ethics-and-standards/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics.aspx

Health Professionals who are not registered with AHPRA are bound by the National Code of Conduct. Further information on the National Code of Conduct and how to make a complaint to the Health Complaints Commissioner can be found here: https://hcc.vic.gov.au/