New Medicare Rebates for Speech Pathology (M10 Items): What GPs and Families Need to Know

From 1 March 2026, Medicare has expanded access to speech pathology services for children and young people with certain communication conditions.

Under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) M10 allied health items, children and young adults with cleft lip and/or palate are now recognised as having an eligible disability. This means families may be able to access additional Medicare rebates for speech pathology assessment and treatment with a referral from their GP or paediatrician.

For families navigating speech and language concerns, and for GPs supporting these children, this change provides an important pathway to earlier and more consistent care.

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Who Is Eligible?

Children and young adults may be eligible if they:

• Are under 25 years of age
  
• Have a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of one of the following:
  
  • Cleft lip and/or palate
    
  • Stuttering
    
  • Speech sound disorders (including articulation disorder, phonological disorder, childhood apraxia of speech, or dysarthria)
    
• Have a referral from a GP, paediatrician, or other medical specialist
  

This expansion recognises that many children with cleft conditions require specialised speech pathology support throughout development.

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What Speech Pathology Services Are Covered?

Under the M10 pathway, children can access Medicare-rebated speech pathology assessment and treatment sessions.

Speech Pathology Assessments

Medicare Item Numbers:

• 82005 – Face-to-face assessment
  
• 93033 – Video assessment
  
• 93041 – Telephone assessment
  

Key details:

• Up to 8 assessment sessions (lifetime)
  
• Each session must be at least 50 minutes
  
• Medicare rebate: $87.25 per session
  

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Speech Pathology Treatment Sessions

Medicare Item Numbers:

• 82020 – Face-to-face treatment
  
• 93036 – Video treatment
  
• 93044 – Telephone treatment
  

Key details:

• Up to 20 treatment sessions (lifetime)
  
• Each session must be at least 30 minutes
  
• Medicare rebate: $87.25 per session
  

Speech pathologists set their own fees, so families may still have an out-of-pocket gap depending on the clinic.

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Referral Requirements

To access these services:

• A referral from a GP, paediatrician, or medical specialist is required.
  
• Each referral allows:
  
  • Up to 4 assessment sessions, or
    
  • Up to 10 treatment sessions
    

If further sessions are needed, the referring doctor will need to review the patient and issue a new referral.

This allows ongoing communication between the medical and allied health teams.

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Can This Be Used Together with a Chronic Disease Management Plan?

Not for the same appointment.

Families may still access speech pathology through a GP Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDMP).

Under a CDMP:

• Patients can receive up to 5 allied health sessions per calendar year
  
• The Medicare rebate is $61.80 per session
  

These CDMP sessions are separate from the M10 allied health items. This means that eligible children may be able to access:

• 5 sessions per year under a CDMP, and
  
• Up to 8 assessment sessions and 20 treatment sessions under the M10 pathway (lifetime limits) Medicare rebate: $87.25 per session
  

However, both item numbers cannot be claimed for the same therapy session. In other words, a speech pathology appointment can only be billed under one Medicare item number at a time.

Your GP and speech pathologist can help determine which Medicare pathway is most appropriate for each stage of care.

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Why This Change Matters

Children with cleft conditions often require long-term support for:

• Speech sound development
  
• Resonance and articulation
  
• Feeding and swallowing
  
• Language development
  
• Social communication
  

By expanding Medicare rebates, this policy recognises the importance of early intervention and multidisciplinary care.

It also helps families access the specialised speech pathology support needed during key stages of development.

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How Our Team Can Help

At Blackburn Speech & Paediatric Therapy, we work closely with:

• GPs
  
• Paediatricians
  
• Surgeons
  
• Dentists
  
• Allied health professionals
  

to support children with complex speech and communication needs.

Our team provides:

• Comprehensive speech and language assessments
  
• Evidence-based speech therapy
  
• Feeding and early communication support
  
• Family-centred therapy planning
  

If you are a GP looking to refer, or a parent wondering whether your child may be eligible, our team is happy to help guide you through the process.

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Contact us to learn more about speech pathology support and Medicare referral pathways.