The Allied Health Practice Setup Guide
Nobody teaches physios how to run a business.
What it actually costs, what to charge, how to get GPs referring to you, and a week-by-week plan for your first 90 days. Updated for the July 2025 Medicare changes.
Instant PDF download. 65 pages. 30-day money-back guarantee.
You know the clinical side. Nobody taught you this part.
You've probably been Googling some combination of 'how much does it cost to start a physio practice' and 'sole trader or Pty Ltd for allied health' and getting the same vague answers everywhere. It depends. Talk to your accountant. Do your research.
Meanwhile, Medicare CDM billing changed in July 2025 when GPCCMP replaced the old GPMP/TCA system. Most of the content you're finding online still references rules that no longer apply. You're trying to figure out the 5-session shared cap, whether referrals need a form or a letter now, and what happens to patients on existing plans.
And then there's the GP referral question. Your entire CDM patient pipeline depends on GPs sending patients to you, and your degree included exactly zero hours on how to walk into a GP clinic and introduce yourself.
Everything else out there is either a regulatory checklist (ABN, AHPRA, provider number) that tells you WHAT to do but not how to think about it, or a $5,000 coaching program for people who already have an established practice. This guide sits in the gap: specific numbers, specific steps, current rules, $79.
What's inside
7 chapters. Each one covers a specific decision or skill your degree didn't.
The Decision: Employed vs Private
A real income comparison. What you'll actually take home in Year 1 vs staying employed, once you account for super, leave, and the expenses nobody mentions. Plus the scenarios where staying employed is the smarter call.
NDIS Basics for CDM Practitioners
Should you register as an NDIS provider? How plan management types affect when you get paid. The GST complications for non-AHPRA professions. What registration costs and whether it's worth it when you're starting out.
Pricing Your Services
How to set your fee when everyone gives you a different number. The gap fee maths, when bulk billing makes sense (rarely), and how to tell patients your price without apologising.
Finding Your First Clients
How to walk into a GP clinic when you've never done it before. What to say, what to bring, how to follow up so they remember you. Plus the directories worth listing on and the ones that waste your money.
Financial Foundations
Setting aside tax when nobody's withholding it for you. Paying your own super. Budgeting when your income is $2,500 one week and $900 the next. The bank accounts to set up before you see your first patient.
Common Mistakes & What They Cost
Ten mistakes with real dollar figures. The $14,400/year underpricing mistake. The $5,000 restructuring mistake. The insurance gap that could end your career. Each one with what it costs and how to avoid it.
Your First 90 Days
Week by week: how many patients to expect, when to visit GPs, what to set up and in what order. With benchmarks at 30, 60, and 90 days so you know if you're on track.
Quick Reference Appendix
Key points from the four free reference guides (business structure, CDM billing, provider numbers, practice costs) with links to the full versions.
Reference vs playbook
Four free reference guides live on this site. This guide covers the seven chapters that don't.
Free guides on this site
- What sole trader vs Pty Ltd means
- How GPCCMP Medicare billing works
- Getting your Medicare provider number
- Practice setup costs, broken down
Reference material. Available free.
This guide
- Should you go private? (real income numbers, not 'it depends')
- NDIS: should you register, and what it costs if you don't
- What to charge per session (framework, not 'check your area')
- How to get GPs referring to you when you know zero GPs
- Tax, super, and cash flow on variable income
- Ten mistakes that cost new practice owners $10,000+
- Week-by-week plan for your first 90 days
Strategy & action plans. $79.
$79
Less than one session fee.
30-day money-back guarantee. Instant PDF download.
Common questions
Can I find this online for free?
The reference material, yes. Four chapters' worth is free on this site right now. What you won't find anywhere is a single resource covering the decisions: should you go private, what to charge, how to get GPs referring, what order to do things in. That's what this guide covers.
Is this relevant to my state or territory?
Yes. Medicare CDM billing, AHPRA registration, and business structure are all federal. Where state-specific rules apply (room rental regulations, council requirements), the guide notes them.
What format is the guide?
65-page PDF. Download link immediately after purchase.
Is this up to date with the GPCCMP changes?
Yes. Updated for the July 2025 changes. Most content online still references GPMP/TCA, which no longer applies for new patients.
I'm joining an existing practice, not starting my own. Is this useful?
Pricing, finding clients, financial foundations, and the 90-day plan are still relevant. The business structure chapters less so, but understanding billing and the business side is useful regardless.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. Email within 30 days for a full refund.
The guide your degree didn't include.
Medicare billing to your first 90 days. 65 pages covering everything between qualifying and opening your doors.
$79 AUD. Instant download. 30-day money-back guarantee.
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This site provides general information only. Always consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.