Plain-English funding guide

Paying for community physiotherapy in Queensland: CHSP, Support at Home, NDIS & private.

Working out who pays for physiotherapy at home or in the community can feel confusing. This calm, plain-English guide compares the main Queensland pathways, explains the eligibility basics, and shows how referrals work — so you can take a confident next step.

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Community physiotherapy — care that comes to you, in your home, your facility or a community setting — can be funded in several different ways. The right pathway depends mostly on your age, your needs and your eligibility. Below, each option is explained simply, followed by a side-by-side comparison, how referrals work, and what GC Integrative accepts.

The four pathways Compare at a glance CHSP Support at Home NDIS Private & other How referrals work What GC accepts

The four main ways people pay

Most people who receive community physiotherapy in Queensland fund it through one of four pathways:

Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) — entry-level aged care support for older adults who need a little help to stay independent at home.
Support at Home — the Australian Government's in-home aged care program that began rolling out in 2025, providing a funded budget of services based on assessed need.
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) — for eligible people under 65 with a permanent and significant disability.
Private or self-funded care — paid directly, sometimes with a Medicare care-plan, DVA or private-health contribution.

You do not need to know exactly which one fits before you reach out. Part of a good first conversation is simply working out which door to walk through — and we are happy to help you understand your options.

Compare the pathways at a glance

General comparison only — eligibility, inclusions and any contribution are always confirmed through an assessment.
Pathway	Who it is generally for	What it may cover	How to start
CHSP	Older adults (generally 65+, or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) needing entry-level help to stay independent.	Some allied health, including physiotherapy, as lower-intensity support alongside other home services.	Register and be assessed through My Aged Care, then receive referral codes for a provider.
Support at Home	Older adults assessed as needing more ongoing in-home aged care support.	A funded budget of services based on assessed need, which can include physiotherapy and restorative care.	Assessment through My Aged Care, an assigned classification and budget, then choose a provider.
NDIS	Eligible participants under 65 with a permanent and significant disability.	Physiotherapy under Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living, within your plan.	Use your NDIS plan (self-, plan- or agency-managed) to engage a provider directly.
Private / other	Anyone paying directly, or using a Medicare care plan, DVA or private-health extras.	Physiotherapy paid directly, sometimes with a rebate or subsidy depending on your arrangement.	Book directly; a GP care plan or DVA referral may be needed for certain subsidies.

CHSP — Commonwealth Home Support Programme

CHSP is the entry level of Australia's aged care system. It is designed for older adults who are largely managing at home but would benefit from a little support to stay safe, active and independent. Among its services, CHSP can include allied health such as physiotherapy — often to support strength, balance and mobility so that small problems do not become larger ones.

Eligibility generally applies to people aged 65 and over (or 50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people), and access always begins with My Aged Care. After registration, a member of the Regional Assessment Service completes a short assessment, usually in your home, to understand what would help. If physiotherapy is approved, you receive referral information you can take to an approved provider.

A modest client contribution may apply, based on your circumstances. Because the aged care system is transitioning, it is worth confirming current details with My Aged Care when you register.

Support at Home

Support at Home is the Australian Government's in-home aged care program that began rolling out in 2025, progressively replacing Home Care Packages. Rather than a single flat service, it provides a funded budget of supports matched to your assessed level of need, so that care can scale with you over time.

Physiotherapy sits comfortably within Support at Home, particularly as part of restorative and allied-health care — the kind of graded, goal-based work that helps you keep doing the things that matter. As with CHSP, the pathway starts with an assessment through My Aged Care, after which you are assigned a classification and budget and can choose a provider that suits you.

Not sure whether CHSP or Support at Home applies? That is completely normal — the two sit on a continuum, and the aged care system is still transitioning. The single starting point for both is My Aged Care, which can guide you to the right assessment. Our Aged Care & Villages page explains how we support older adults across both.

NDIS — National Disability Insurance Scheme

The NDIS funds supports for eligible people under 65 who live with a permanent and significant disability. Where physiotherapy is included in a participant's plan, it usually sits under Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living, funding therapy that builds function, independence and participation.

NDIS funding can be self-managed, plan-managed or agency-managed, and each of these affects which providers you can use and how invoices are handled. Eligibility and funding are decided by the NDIS, not by the provider — so if you are unsure, the NDIS or your plan manager or support coordinator is the best first point of contact. For most people aged 65 and over, ongoing physiotherapy is funded through aged care pathways rather than the NDIS.

Private and other pathways

Not everyone uses a government program, and private care remains a straightforward option — particularly if you would like to begin promptly or your needs fall outside a funded pathway. A few things are worth knowing:

Private / self-funded: you pay directly and can usually book without a referral. Fees are always explained clearly beforehand — see our pricing page.
Medicare chronic-condition management: with a GP care plan, eligible people may access a limited number of subsidised allied-health sessions each calendar year.
DVA: eligible veterans may access physiotherapy with a valid referral under Department of Veterans' Affairs arrangements.
Private health extras: depending on your fund and level of cover, you may be able to claim a rebate on physiotherapy.
Facility & retirement-village agreements: care can also be arranged through a facility or village, often as a group or community program.

How referrals work

The referral step differs by pathway, but the idea is the same — confirming that you are eligible and connecting you to a provider:

Aged care (CHSP or Support at Home): you or a family member contact My Aged Care for registration and assessment, which can generate referral codes to give to a provider.
NDIS: you engage providers directly using your plan; a support coordinator or plan manager can help arrange this.
Private: you can generally book without a referral, although a GP care plan or DVA referral may be required to access certain subsidies.
Referrers & care teams: GPs, allied-health colleagues, coordinators and facilities can refer directly — our For Referrers page outlines assessment, reporting and coordination.

What GC Integrative accepts

GC Integrative Physiotherapy & Wellness works with a range of funding arrangements so that community physiotherapy is accessible in the way that suits you:

CHSP and Support at Home, for eligible older adults;
NDIS, for eligible participants with appropriate plan management;
Facility and retirement-village agreements, including group programs;
Private and self-funded care.

The exact pathway depends on your eligibility and authorisation, and before a booking is confirmed we will clarify your funding or payer pathway, any consent or representative details, and your goals. If you are not sure where you fit, that is exactly what a first conversation is for.

ⓘThis guide is general information only, current at the time of writing, and is not financial, funding or personal health advice. Aged care and disability programs change over time — always confirm current eligibility and details with My Aged Care, the NDIS, your plan manager or the relevant authority. Individual assessment determines suitability and no outcome is guaranteed.

Common questions

Funding questions, answered plainly

How is community physiotherapy funded in Queensland?

There are four common pathways: the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) and Support at Home for older adults, the NDIS for eligible people under 65 with a disability, and private or self-funded care. Some people also use a Medicare chronic-condition management plan, DVA arrangements or private-health extras. Which one applies depends on your age, needs and eligibility, confirmed through an assessment.

What is the difference between CHSP and Support at Home?

CHSP is entry-level support for older adults who need a little help to stay independent at home, including some allied health such as physiotherapy. Support at Home is the Australian Government's in-home aged care program that began rolling out in 2025, providing a funded budget of services based on assessed need. Both are accessed through My Aged Care, and the aged care system is transitioning over time — My Aged Care can confirm what currently applies to you.

Can I get physiotherapy through the NDIS?

If you are an eligible NDIS participant, physiotherapy may be funded under Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living, using your plan-managed, self-managed or agency-managed funding. Physiotherapy for most people aged 65 and over is usually funded through aged care pathways rather than the NDIS. Eligibility and funding are determined by the NDIS, not by the provider.

How does a physiotherapy referral work?

For aged care, you or a family member contact My Aged Care for registration and assessment, which can generate referral codes for a provider. For the NDIS, you engage providers directly using your plan. For private care you can usually book without a referral, though a GP care plan or DVA referral may be needed to access certain subsidies. GC Integrative can help you understand which step applies.

What funding pathways does GC Integrative accept?

GC Integrative works with a range of arrangements, including CHSP, Support at Home, NDIS for eligible participants, facility and retirement-village agreements, and private or self-funded care. The exact pathway depends on your eligibility and authorisation. Contact the clinic to confirm what applies to your situation — individual assessment determines suitability and no outcome is guaranteed.

Will I have to pay anything myself?

It depends on the pathway. Aged care programs may involve a client contribution based on your circumstances, the NDIS covers agreed supports within your plan, and private care is paid directly, sometimes with a private-health or Medicare rebate. Any fees are always explained clearly before care begins.

About the author

Gary Chen, AHPRA-registered physiotherapist

Gary Chen is an AHPRA-registered physiotherapist and the founder of GC Integrative Physiotherapy & Wellness on the North Gold Coast. He works with older adults, families, referrers and aged-care providers to deliver physiotherapist-led community health care — at home, in facilities and in community settings — through the GC Health Model and the Physio-Qi Method.

More about Gary Aged Care & Villages

Care that comes to you

Still unsure which pathway is yours? We'll help you work it out.

Tell us a little about your situation and we will point you to the right next step — CHSP, Support at Home, NDIS or private — for community physiotherapy across the North Gold Coast. No pressure, and no obligation.

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