Accessing Physiotherapy with Your DVA Health Card

At MoveWise Home Physio, we are proud to support Australian veterans and eligible family members. If you hold a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Health Card, you may be eligible for subsidised physiotherapy services.

What is a DVA Health Card?

The DVA issues different health cards to eligible veterans and their dependants, primarily the Gold Card and the White Card.

  • Veteran Gold Card: Covers all clinically necessary healthcare services for all conditions, regardless of whether they are service-related.

  • Veteran White Card: Covers clinically necessary healthcare services for specific, accepted service-related injuries or conditions only.

How to Access Physiotherapy with Your DVA Health Card

The process for DVA Health Card holders to access physiotherapy is straightforward:

  1. Obtain a GP Referral: All DVA clients require a referral from their General Practitioner (GP) to access physiotherapy services. This referral needs to specify the treatment area if you hold a White Card. For an initial treatment cycle, the referral can also come from a medical specialist, treating hospital doctor, or hospital discharge planner.

  2. Find a DVA-Registered Physiotherapist: Ensure your chosen physiotherapist is registered with the DVA. At MoveWise Home Physio, our physiotherapists are qualified to assess and treat DVA clients.

  3. Present Your Card: Always present your DVA Gold or White Card at the beginning of your appointment.

  4. Treatment Cycle: A DVA treatment cycle allows for up to 12 sessions of physiotherapy or one year, whichever ends first, before a new referral is required. Your physiotherapist will communicate with your GP about your progress and future plans.

  5. No Out-of-Pocket Costs: If your physiotherapist accepts DVA Health Card arrangements, they will bill DVA directly for your services, meaning there will be no out-of-pocket costs for you.

Important Considerations:

  • Clinical Necessity: Physiotherapy treatment must be clinically necessary to be covered by DVA.

  • Accepted Conditions (White Card): If you have a White Card, ensure the physiotherapy treatment is for your accepted service-related injury or disease.

  • New Referrals: After your 12th session or after one year, your GP will need to provide another referral for continued treatment. There is no limit to the number of referrals or treatment cycles as long as your GP deems them clinically necessary.

  • Prior Approval: In some cases, prior approval from DVA may be required for certain treatments or services. Your physiotherapist will advise you if this is necessary.

At MoveWise Home Physio, we are committed to providing high-quality, personalised care to veterans. We work closely with your GP to ensure your physiotherapy needs are met under the DVA scheme. If you have any questions about accessing physiotherapy with your DVA Health Card, please contact us.