The Allied Health Practice Setup Guide

You can diagnose a rotator cuff tear. Can you set a session fee?

Where to practise, what to charge, how to set up Medicare billing, how to get GPs referring to you, and a week-by-week plan for your first 90 days. Updated for the July 2025 GPCCMP changes.

$79AUD

Instant PDF download. 85 pages. 30-day money-back guarantee.

9 chapters|85 pages|Updated March 2026

The clinical work you're ready for. The business side, less so.

You've 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. Lots of 'talk to your accountant' and very few dollar figures.

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.

One mistake costs more than this guide

These are real numbers from real practices. Each one is in the guide with the maths and how to avoid it.

$14,400/yr

Underpricing by $15/session

20 patients/week, 48 weeks. That gap goes straight to your bottom line.

$10,000–20,000/yr

Not offering telehealth

2–4 appointments per week that cancel instead of switching to video.

$5,000–15,000

Signing a lease too early

Locked into $2,000–4,000/month before you have the patients to justify it.

$2,700+/yr

Missing the 5-session cap

Billing sessions Medicare won't cover. Rebilled claims and surprised patients.

This guide is $79.

What's inside

9 chapters covering the decisions and numbers you need before you open your doors.

1

The Decision: Employed vs Private

A real income comparison. What you'll take home in Year 1 vs staying employed, once you account for super, leave, and the expenses most calculators leave out. Plus the scenarios where staying employed is the smarter call.

2

Setting Up Your Practice

Where to practise (room rental vs lease vs home office), which practice management software to use, setting up Medicare claiming, choosing insurance, getting telehealth ready, and what equipment you actually need on day one.

3

Medicare CDM Billing in Your Practice

Setting up your claiming workflow so it works from day one. Managing the 5-session shared cap, avoiding the billing errors that cost you real money, and talking to patients about Medicare in plain English.

4

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.

5

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.

6

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.

7

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.

8

Common Mistakes & What They Cost

Ten mistakes with real dollar figures. The session cap surprise, the lease you signed too early, the telehealth you never set up. Each one with what it costs and how to avoid it.

9

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

Software comparison table, insurance checklist, first-30-days admin calendar, and summaries of the four free reference guides with links to the full versions.

One document, start to finish

Not a collection of blog posts. Not a list of links to government websites. A single guide that takes you from “I've decided to go private” to “I'm seeing 20 patients a week,” in order, with the numbers at every step.

  • Should you go private? A side-by-side income comparison for Year 1
  • Where to practise, which software to use, and how to set up Medicare claiming
  • How CDM billing works in your practice: the 5-session cap, common errors, patient conversations
  • NDIS: should you register, and what it costs if you don't
  • What to charge per session, with the maths worked through
  • 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

$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?

85-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.

85 pages. From pricing to your first 90 days.

Medicare billing, session fees, GP referrals, tax, and a week-by-week plan for getting your practice off the ground.

$79 AUD. Instant download. 30-day money-back guarantee.

© 2026 Private Practice Guide. All rights reserved.

This site provides general information only. Always consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.