How do I use telehealth extras benefits?

Read our article on how to use your telehealth benefits. We’re here to help with this short explainer.

What are my telehealth benefits?

Your benefits are the same as your regular extras cover. To check your cover and annual limits, use the Peoplecare mobile app or log in to our website.

Are telehealth benefits different to my usual extras benefits?  

Telehealth consults are an additional way to claim using your existing extras cover. That means that your normal benefits, annual limits and waiting periods apply to the one-to-one video and phone consultations available on physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, speech therapy and dietetics.

Just be aware that some lower levers of extras cover don’t have access to all telehealth services. On Basic Extras, for instance, members can claim for physio and occupational therapy and not psych, speech therapy and dietetics.

What is a telehealth provider?

A telehealth provider is your regular extras provider who is recognised by Medicare and provides telehealth consults. Many regular extras providers who usually only see face-to-face patients are doing telehealth consults.

Tip: Simply contact your regular physio, for instance, and ask if they’re doing telehealth consults. Many regular extras providers are ready to go with telehealth.

How can I claim telehealth consultations?

Simply submit your receipt showing:

• Name of patient
• Provider name and registration details
• Date of service
• Cost
• Service provided
• Information if this was a phone or video consult

To submit your claim, take a photo of your receipt and send it to us on the Peoplecare mobile app.

You can also email or post us your receipt, but you’ll need to do some extra paperwork (by completing a claim form). For more details, here’s some more info.

I still need hands-on treatment, what should I do?

Face-to-face consultations are available with many extras providers. Allied Health Professionals, as they’re known, are deemed essential by the government. These are physios, exercise physios, occupational therapists chiros, osteos and many more. Many of these professions are doing hands-on consultations in their regular practices but check with your provider.