Does WorkSafe cover chiropractic in Victoria?

Yes, where the treatment relates to an accepted claim and is considered reasonable for the injury.

The part that catches people out is not eligibility. It is sequence.

Get the paperwork in place first

Before the appointment, you need:

• A claim number, from your employer or the insurer
• A referral from your treating doctor, which is a separate thing from the claim number

Treatment given before a claim is accepted is generally billed to you rather than the insurer, and unpicking that afterwards is considerably harder than organising it in advance. This is the single most common reason people end up paying for appointments they expected to be covered.

If you need to be seen before the claim comes through

You can attend as a private patient and claim on your private health cover through HICAPS in the usual way. See the fees page for what each appointment costs.

What is not possible is having those appointments billed back to WorkSafe retrospectively once the claim is accepted. If being seen quickly matters more than the billing route, that is a reasonable decision to make, just make it knowing which one you are choosing.

What gets reported, and to whom

Clinical notes are confidential.

What goes to the insurer is what the scheme requires for the claim: progress and capacity reporting rather than a record of what you discussed. Capacity reporting is about what you can and cannot do relative to your work duties, which is the question the scheme is actually asking.

If you have concerns about what is shared, raise them at the appointment and the chiropractor will explain what is reported and to whom.

What the assessment covers

• A full history, including the mechanism of injury and what your job physically requires
• A physical assessment of the region and the areas loading it
• An orthopaedic and neurological screen
• Where you sit relative to your work duties
• An explanation of what was found, before any treatment

What treatment involves

Chosen from the assessment: chiropractic adjustment where restriction is part of it, massage therapy for the muscular load, dry needling where trigger points are involved, and rehabilitation exercises graded toward the demands of your actual job rather than a generic programme.

Most work presentations here are lower back, neck and shoulder. See work injuries for the full picture.

The TAC and DVA

TAC claims after a transport accident follow the same structure: a claim number and the referral the scheme requires, in place beforehand.

DVA is billed directly with a valid referral lodged before the first visit.

Call the clinic and reception will tell you exactly what your scheme needs before you book.