Medicare and telehealth: everything eligible Australians can access

Medicare covers a wide range of telehealth services for eligible Australians — GP consultations, Mental Health Care Plans, pathology and imaging referrals, electronic prescriptions, medical certificates, and Nurse Practitioner appointments. For most Medicare-funded telehealth you'll need an established clinical relationship. Abby Health bulk bills these services for eligible patients, meaning there's no out-of-pocket cost when the criteria are met.

This guide walks through exactly what Medicare covers for telehealth, who's eligible, and how those rules play out at Abby.

What Medicare covers for telehealth in Australia

Since July 2022, Medicare-funded telehealth has been a permanent part of Australian healthcare, not a pandemic-era exception. Eligible Australians can access the following through a video or phone consultation:

• General practice consultations with a GP — short, standard, long, and prolonged consults are all on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) as telehealth items
• Nurse Practitioner appointments for a growing range of conditions, with Medicare rebates that changed in November 2024 to better reflect NP scope
• Mental Health Care Plans and review appointments, including referral to Medicare-rebated psychology through the Better Access initiative
• Pathology and imaging referrals — your doctor can issue an eRequest for blood tests, urine tests, hormone panels, X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs and CTs, which you take to a local collection centre or radiology practice
• Specialist referrals to paediatricians, psychiatrists, cardiologists and other specialists (the specialist's own consultation may or may not be Medicare-rebated — see below)
• Electronic prescriptions (eScripts) sent straight to your phone, which you take to any pharmacy
• Medical certificates and documents for work, study, travel, carers' leave and insurance purposes, within the scope of what's clinically appropriate

Some services stay in person for safety reasons. Physical examinations, procedures, and anything requiring a hands-on clinical assessment will always need a face-to-face visit. Your Abby clinician will tell you if they think an in-person appointment is the right next step.

Who is eligible for Medicare-rebated telehealth

To access Medicare-funded telehealth in Australia, three things generally need to be true:

1. You have a valid Medicare card. Temporary residents with certain visa classes may be eligible; tourists and short-stay visitors usually aren't.
2. You are physically in Australia at the time of the consultation. Medicare cannot be billed for a patient located overseas, even if they're an Australian citizen.
3. You have an "established clinical relationship." For most telehealth items, this means you must have seen the same GP or another doctor from the same practice in person within the last 12 months — this is the rule commonly known as the 12-month face-to-face rule. There are exemptions, covered below.

If you don't meet all three, you can still be seen at Abby — you'd just pay privately rather than through Medicare. We're transparent about when this applies before you book.

Exemptions to the 12-month face-to-face rule

The 12-month face-to-face requirement was introduced by the Department of Health to prevent fragmented, one-off telehealth care. It has important exemptions:

• Babies under 12 months old
• People experiencing homelessness
• Patients receiving blood-borne virus, sexual or reproductive health care
• Mental health services in certain circumstances
• Public health emergency declared periods (for example, natural disasters)

For a full breakdown of when the rule applies and when it doesn't, see our dedicated guide to the 12-month face-to-face rule.

What "bulk billed for eligible patients" actually means

Bulk billing means your Medicare rebate is paid directly to the clinic, and you don't pay anything out-of-pocket. The clinic accepts the Medicare rebate as full payment for the service.

At Abby, we bulk bill for eligible patients. Eligibility depends on:

• Holding a valid Medicare card
• Being physically in Australia at the time of your consultation
• Meeting the clinical criteria for the specific Medicare item being billed (for example, the 12-month rule for most GP telehealth items)
• Booking the consultation through Abby

If you don't meet the criteria for a particular service — say, you don't have a regular GP you've seen in the last 12 months — we'll let you know before the appointment and explain your options. You're never billed for something you didn't agree to.

For a full explainer, see Is Abby bulk-billed?

The specific telehealth services available through Abby

Every one of the services below is available through Abby, and bulk billed for eligible patients:

Online GP consultations. The foundation of what Abby does. Book a video or phone appointment, usually on the same day, and speak with a GP who has reviewed your history before you meet. Standard, long and prolonged consultations are all available.

Electronic prescriptions. When a new or repeat script is clinically appropriate, your GP will issue it as an eScript — a secure digital token sent to your phone by SMS or email. You can take it to any Australian pharmacy, including pharmacy partners for pickup or home delivery. Some medications — particularly controlled medications — require an in-person visit for safety reasons, and your GP will tell you if that applies.

Medical certificates and documents. For work, school, university, travel, and carers' leave. Certificates are issued only when clinically justified and within the scope of what Australian law permits for telehealth. See Medical certificates online in Australia: a legal guide for the full picture.

Pathology and imaging referrals. Same-day eRequests for blood tests, urine tests, swabs, hormone panels, X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs and CTs. Our same-day pathology referral guide explains how these work end-to-end.

Specialist referrals. If your GP thinks you need a specialist opinion, they can issue a Medicare-compliant referral that lasts 12 months (for most specialists) from the date of first consultation. Walk-in and same-day referrals are available.

Mental Health Care Plans. A Medicare-funded plan that gives you access to a set number of rebated psychology sessions per calendar year under the Better Access initiative. See How to get a Mental Health Care Plan online for the process, eligibility and review timelines.

Nurse Practitioner appointments. For a growing range of routine conditions, Nurse Practitioners are a fast and clinically appropriate option. NP appointments became more affordable for many patients after the November 2024 Medicare changes. See What a Nurse Practitioner is in Australia for what's in scope.

What Medicare does not cover via telehealth

Being upfront about the limits is part of safe telehealth. Medicare does not rebate:

• Consultations where you're outside Australia — not even for Australian citizens travelling overseas
• Cosmetic medicine consultations unrelated to a medical condition
• Some specialist services delivered entirely by video where the specialist determines an in-person visit is clinically required
• Services for patients who don't meet the 12-month face-to-face rule (subject to the exemptions above)
• Certificates or referrals for purposes that require in-person assessment — for example, most pre-employment medicals, commercial driving medicals, and aviation medicals

If you're unsure whether a service is covered for you, contact Abby Support before booking. We'd rather tell you upfront than surprise you later.

After-hours, weekends and public holidays

Abby operates seven days a week, 365 days a year. Standard Medicare rebates apply at the same rate for telehealth consultations regardless of the day or hour within our operating window. There are no weekend surcharges and no out-of-pocket fees for eligible patients.

Some Medicare items have specific time-of-day rules — for example, certain after-hours attendance items for in-person care do not apply to telehealth. Your clinician will always bill the item that matches the care delivered, as per MBS Online rules.

If you don't have a regular GP

Services Australia estimates that millions of Australians don't have a regular GP. You can still access Abby — under the 12-month rule, you'd typically pay privately for your first telehealth visit, then become eligible for Medicare-rebated telehealth from the same practice afterwards.

For some patients — including those experiencing homelessness, and for specific services such as sexual and reproductive health — the 12-month rule does not apply, and Medicare-rebated telehealth is available from the first visit. See Abby for people without a regular GP for a fuller guide.

International visitors and patients without a Medicare card

If you don't have a Medicare card — for example, as a tourist, international student on a visa that doesn't include Medicare, or short-stay visitor — you can still book with Abby. You'd pay our transparent private fee at the time of booking. See Using Abby without a Medicare card for current pricing and what's included.

How Abby is different

Medicare-funded telehealth in Australia is offered by a range of clinics. Where Abby's model differs:

• Continuity of care. Our system brings your full history to every consultation, so whichever Abby clinician you see, they arrive prepared. This is how we rebuild the tradition of a doctor who knows you — at scale.
• A clinician-led care network. All Abby Health practitioners hold current AHPRA registration. Clinical governance is led by Dr Bosco Wu, a member of the AMA NSW Council. Our Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ramu Nachiappan, practised as a GP in Broken Hill for 35 years.
• Broad scope of care. GP, NP, mental health, prescriptions, referrals, certificates — one clinic, one record, continuous care.
• Transparent billing. When you're eligible, we bulk bill. When you're not, we tell you before we see you.

None of this means Abby is the right fit for every patient. Some conditions and some consultations are better served in person, and we'll tell you when that applies.

Does Abby Health charge an out-of-pocket or booking fee for bulk-billed appointments?

For eligible patients, no. Bulk-billed consultations at Abby have no booking fee, no out-of-pocket cost, and no hidden charges. Eligibility depends on your Medicare status and the 12-month face-to-face rule where it applies.

Do I need to have seen a GP at Abby before, or any GP?

The 12-month face-to-face rule means you need to have had at least one in-person consultation with a GP or another doctor from the same practice in the past 12 months for most Medicare-rebated telehealth items. There are exemptions, including for patients experiencing homelessness, babies under 12 months old, and specific service types such as sexual and reproductive health.

Can I use Medicare telehealth if I'm overseas?

No. Medicare rebates only apply when the patient is physically in Australia at the time of the consultation. If you'll be overseas, you can still book a private consultation — contact support before booking so we can explain what applies.

What happens if I'm not eligible for bulk billing?

We tell you upfront. You can choose to pay the private consultation fee, or — where appropriate — we may suggest an alternative service, such as seeing one of our Nurse Practitioners or being directed to a face-to-face clinic. You'll never be billed something you didn't agree to.

How long is a Medicare specialist referral valid?

In most cases, 12 months from the date of your first consultation with the specialist. Some specialist referrals are indefinite; your GP will advise when that applies.

Are Nurse Practitioner appointments covered by Medicare?

Yes. Nurse Practitioners have Medicare item numbers that allow bulk billing for eligible patients. Following the November 2024 Medicare changes, rebate levels for NP consultations were increased, and the scope of what NPs can bill has broadened. See What Nurse Practitioners can and can't do for the current scope.

Is Abby AI involved in my consultation?

Abby AI, our medical AI, supports your clinician by preparing a history summary, flagging relevant risk signals, and keeping your records continuous between visits. It does not diagnose, prescribe, or replace clinician judgement. Your clinician makes every clinical decision.

What if I need to be seen in person?

Your Abby clinician will tell you if they think an in-person visit is the right next step and help you find a local practice. Some services — particularly hands-on examinations, controlled medication reviews, and certain certificates — are always in-person.

Find Comfort. Abby Health. Care that understands you.