Approval to deliver services
It is important you know that all treatment requires insurer pre-approval unless the treatment or service is exempt (see Part 4 of Workers Compensation Guidelines).
Reasonably necessary treatment
When recommending treatment services, you should consider:
- the appropriateness of the particular treatment
- the availability of alternative treatment and its potential effectiveness
- the cost of the treatment
- the actual or potential effectiveness of the treatment
- the acceptance of the treatment by medical experts as being appropriate and likely to be effective.
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Every now and then, the unexpected occurs.
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Under NSW workers compensation legislation,
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if you have a work-related injury you can
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make a claim for reasonably necessary medical
and related treatment.
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What does ‘reasonably necessary’ mean?
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Reasonably necessary is a test used by an
insurer when making a liability determination
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for medical treatment options.
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Here’s how it works.
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Wendy is experiencing lower back pain from
a work-related accident.
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Her workers compensation claim has been accepted.
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The Case Manager reviews the information at
hand, and contacts Wendy to find out more.
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Wendy confirms she has seen her GP who has
recommended physiotherapy.
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By involving Wendy in discussions regarding
her treatment, the Case Manager ensures Wendy
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gets the care that’s right for her.
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Proactive engagement encourages good collaboration
and communication, influencing a positive
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outcome and experience.
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Is the treatment ‘reasonably necessary’?
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When deciding whether the recommended treatment
is reasonably necessary, the Case Manager
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considers:
● Is the treatment needed as a result of
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the injury?
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● Will the treatment alleviate pain or symptoms
of the injury?
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● What‘s ‘reasonably necessary’ treatment
for one person may not be the same for another person.
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● There is more than one way to treat an
injury.
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It is better for Wendy to have the treatment
than not and therefore reasonably necessary.
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There is no obvious reason for the Case Manager
to say no to the treatment.
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Wendy has had physiotherapy, and continues
to experience back pain,
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which affects her ability to work.
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The Case Manager checks in with Wendy on her progress.
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The Case Manager, Wendy and her GP have a
case conference to work out what to do next.
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Wendy’s GP recommends that she sees a specialist.
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The Case Manager sends Wendy the ‘Preparing
for your specialist appointment’ brochure
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– making sure Wendy has the tools she needs
to make informed decisions.
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Following Wendy’s specialist appointment,
multiple treatment options, including surgery
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were recommended.
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Wendy mentions she is worried about having
surgery and not sure if it’s the right option for her.
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It is important to note, multiple treatment
options can be reasonably necessary at the same time.
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The Case Manager is not a medical expert,
and lets Wendy know she can seek a second
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specialist opinion to help her decide on the
best treatment option.
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In the meantime, the Case Manager has to fulfil
a legal obligation and approves the surgery
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as reasonably necessary even though Wendy
may select another option.
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The Case Manager checks in with Wendy following
the appointment to find out what she has decided.
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Sound decision making is about reviewing information,
weighing up the options and finding the solution
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that works best for Wendy and her recovery.
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Every case is different, so the Case Manager
should assess whether treatment is ‘reasonably
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necessary’ on a case by case basis.
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Some cases are complex and may need to be
considered from a different perspective.
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You can review case law to find out more.
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Visit www.wcc.nsw.gov.au to see how reasonably
necessary has been interpreted in previous
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case law.
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Rose v Health Commission (NSW) (1986) 2 NSWCCR 32
Diab v NRMA Ltd [2014] NSWWCCPD 72
What health providers can charge
Please select the relevant profession below for details on specific fees and payments.
GST information for fees
Maximum fees listed in these fees orders are exclusive of GST.
If GST is applicable, your insurer will pay the GST component in addition to the maximum fee. Providers should provide a tax invoice where amounts are subject to GST. For queries regarding whether the services you provide to a worker with an injury are taxable (that is, subject to GST) please contact the Australian Taxation Office and/or your tax advisor.
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Ambulance
This includes emergency and non-emergency transfers provided by the Ambulance Service of NSW and other providers.
Current fees orders
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
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General practitioners, surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for treatment and services provided to workers with an injury.
Current fees orders
- 1 February 2025 - Medical Practitioner Fees Order (effective 1 February 2025) (nsw.gov.au)
- 1 February 2025 - Surgeon and Orthopaedic Surgeon Fees Order (effective 1 February 2025) (nsw.gov.au)
Information sheets
- 1 February 2025 - General practitioner rates (effective 1 February 2025) (nsw.gov.au)
- 1 February 2025 (Telehealth) - SIRA telehealth item numbers for medical practitioners – effective 1 February 2025 (nsw.gov.au)
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker’s insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- provider’s AHPRA number and Medicare provider number (unless not registered with Medicare)
- in the case of private hospital services, the service’s:
- Medicare Benefits Schedule item (if applicable)
- theatre banding (if applicable)
- if the invoice is for a higher-banded procedure which requires a complexity certificate, the certificate of complexity must be included.
- theatre duration (if applicable)
- in the case of invoices for surgery:
- a detailed operation report including a description of the injury and how the injury occurred, time surgery commenced and finished, intra-operative findings and the procedures performed, including structures that were repaired (stating the anatomic location) and technique of repair.
- relevant SIRA payment classification code or Australian Medical Association (AMA) Fees List item number (where applicable)
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code or AMA Fees List item number and service duration (where applicable)
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
Declined claims
If the insurer declines liability or a treatment request because it does not meet the 'reasonably necessary' criteria, your patient is personally responsible for payment of accounts. Ensure your patient has submitted a workers compensation claim and you have approval from the insurer before providing treatment.
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Exercise physiologists
SIRA provider number required
If you’re an accredited exercise physiologist, you must have a SIRA provider number to provide treatment services to people in the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme. Allied health practitioners formerly approved by WorkCover NSW are automatically approved by SIRA and their provider number remains the same.
Find out more about SIRA provider numbers.
Current fees and practice requirements
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for treatment and services provided to workers with an injury.
- 1 February 2025 – Accredited exercise physiology fees & practice requirements (effective 1 February 2025) (nsw.gov.au)
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Information about invoicing for complex pathology and clinical presentations can be found in the Consultation C treatment service fact sheet.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the patient's insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- provider’s SIRA approval number or
- provider number INT0000 if the service was provided interstate and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number or
- provider number EXT0000 if the service was provided to an exempt worker and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number
- provider’s AHPRA number/professional association accreditation/membership number
- relevant SIRA payment classification code or Australian Medical Association (AMA) Fees List item number (where applicable)
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code or AMA Fees List item number and service duration (where applicable)
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
Declined claims
If the insurer declines liability or a treatment request because it does not meet the 'reasonably necessary' criteria, your patient is personally responsible for payment of accounts.
-
Hearing service providers
SIRA provider number
If you’re a hearing service provider, you must have a SIRA provider number to provide treatment services to people in the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme. Allied health practitioners formerly approved by WorkCover NSW are automatically approved by SIRA and their provider number remains the same.
Find out more about SIRA provider numbers.
Current fees and practice requirements
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for treatment and services provided to workers with an claim.
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker's insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- provider’s SIRA approval number or
- provider number INT0000 if the service was provided interstate and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number or
- provider number EXT0000 if the service was provided to an exempt worker and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number
- provider’s AHPRA number/professional association accreditation/membership number
- relevant SIRA payment classification code or Australian Medical Association (AMA) Fees List item number (where applicable)
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code or AMA Fees List item number and service duration (where applicable)
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
Declined claims
If the insurer declines liability or a treatment request because it does not meet the 'reasonably necessary' criteria, your patient is personally responsible for payment of accounts.
-
Hospitals - public and private
Current rates orders
- Public hospital rates order (effective 5 July 2024)
- Private Hospital Maximum Rates Order (effective 1 February 2025)
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
-
Independent consultants
Current fees order
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for treatment and services provided to workers with a claim.
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker's insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- provider’s SIRA approval number or
- provider number INT0000 if the service was provided interstate and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number or
- provider number EXT0000 if the service was provided to an exempt worker and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number
- provider’s AHPRA number/professional association accreditation/membership number
- relevant SIRA payment classification code or Australian Medical Association (AMA) Fees List item number (where applicable)
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code or AMA Fees List item number and service duration (where applicable)
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
-
Independent medical examiners
Medical reports
If you’re invoicing for a medical report, it’s important to confirm the purpose of the original request with the referring party.
For routine medical management or return to work information, refer to the medical practitioner fees order published above under 'General practitioners, surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons'.
For reports related to disputes or potential disputes in respect of a claim, refer to the below fees order for applicable rates for general practitioners and specialists.
Current fees order
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for services provided to workers with an injury.
- 1 February 2025 – Medical Examinations and Reports Fees Order (effective 1 February 2025) (nsw.gov.au)
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker's insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- in the case of medical practitioner services, the provider’s AHPRA number and Medicare provider number (unless not registered with Medicare)
- in the case of private hospital services, the service’s:
- Medicare Benefits Schedule item (if applicable)
- theatre banding (if applicable)
- if the invoice is for a higher-banded procedure which requires a complexity certificate, the certificate of complexity must be included.
- theatre duration (if applicable)
- in the case of invoices for surgery:
- a detailed operation report including a description of the injury and how the injury occurred, time surgery commenced and finished, intra-operative findings and the procedures performed, including structures that were repaired (stating the anatomic location) and technique of repair.
- relevant SIRA payment classification code or Australian Medical Association (AMA) Fees List item number (where applicable)
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code or AMA Fees List item number and service duration (where applicable)
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
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Injury management consultants
Current fees order
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for services provided to workers with an injury.
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker’s insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- in the case of medical practitioner services, the provider’s AHPRA number and Medicare provider number (unless not registered with Medicare)
- relevant SIRA payment classification code
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
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Massage therapists
SIRA provider number
As of 1 January 2016, massage therapists do not need a SIRA provider number to provide treatment services to people in the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme.
Current fees order
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for services provided to workers with an injury.
- 1 February 2025 – Workers Compensation (Massage Therapy Fees) Order 2025 (nsw.gov.au)
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker's insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- the massage therapist’s professional association accreditation/membership number
- relevant SIRA payment classification code
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice.
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
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Permanent impairment assessors
Current fees order
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for services provided to workers with an injury.
- 1 February 2025 – Medical Examinations and Reports Fees Order (effective 1 February 2025) (nsw.gov.au)
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker's insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- in the case of medical practitioner services, the provider’s AHPRA number and Medicare provider number (unless not registered with Medicare)
- relevant SIRA payment classification code
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
-
Physiotherapists, chiropractors or osteopaths
SIRA provider number
If you’re a physiotherapist, chiropractor or osteopath, you must have a SIRA provider number to provide treatment services to people in the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme. Allied health practitioners formerly approved by WorkCover NSW are automatically approved by SIRA and their provider number remains the same.
Find out more about SIRA provider numbers.
Current fees and practice requirements
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for services provided to workers with an injury.
- 1 February 2025 – Physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy fees & practice requirements (effective 1 February 2025) (nsw.gov.au)
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Information about invoicing for complex pathology and clinical presentations can be found in the Consultation C treatment service fact sheet.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker’s insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- provider’s SIRA approval number or
- provider number INT0000 if the service was provided interstate and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number or
- provider number EXT0000 if the service was provided to an exempt worker and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number
- provider’s AHPRA number/professional association accreditation/membership number
- relevant SIRA payment classification code or Australian Medical Association (AMA) Fees List item number (where applicable)
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code or AMA Fees List item number and service duration (where applicable)
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
Declined claims
If the insurer declines liability or a treatment request because it does not meet the 'reasonably necessary' criteria, your patient is personally responsible for payment of accounts.
-
Psychologists and counsellors
SIRA provider number
If you’re a psychologist, counsellor or an accredited mental health social worker, you must have a SIRA provider number to provide services to people in the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme.
Clinical neuropsychologists assessing workers do not require SIRA approval.
Find out more about SIRA provider numbers.
Current fees and practice requirements
The fees orders set the maximum fee you can charge for services provided to workers with an injury.
- 1 February 2025 – Psychology and counselling fees & practice requirements (effective 1 February 2025) (nsw.gov.au)
Historical health related fees and rates orders are available from our resource library.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker's insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- provider’s SIRA approval number or
- provider number INT0000 if the service was provided interstate and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number or
- provider number EXT0000 if the service was provided to an exempt worker and the provider does not have a SIRA approval number
- provider’s AHPRA number/professional association accreditation/membership number
- relevant SIRA payment classification code or Australian Medical Association (AMA) Fees List item number (where applicable)
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code or AMA Fees List item number and service duration (where applicable)
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
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Workplace rehabilitation providers
Treatment approval
You must obtain insurer approval before providing services.
Insurers will only refer to SIRA approved workplace rehabilitation providers.
SIRA provider number
If you’re a workplace rehabilitation provider, you need to submit an application to SIRA, following the process outlined in the Workplace rehabilitation provider approval framework.
Once you can demonstrate compliance with the Conditions of Approval, you are granted a Certificate of Approval for up to 3 years.
Fees
There is no fees order for workplace rehabilitation providers in the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme.
The provider and insurers should negotiate an appropriate fee before the start of treatment, more information is available in the Workers Compensation Claims Management Guide.
Invoices
You must provide itemised invoices to the worker's insurer before payment can be made.
Invoices must include:
- patient’s full name and claim number
- payee name, address, telephone number and email address
- payee ABN
- name of the relevant service provider
- provider’s SIRA approval number (where applicable) and AHPRA number/professional association accreditation/membership number
- relevant SIRA payment classification code or Australian Medical Association (AMA) Fees List item number (where applicable)
- service cost for each SIRA payment classification code or AMA Fees List item number and service duration (where applicable)
- date of service
- date of invoice, which must fall on the day of or after the last date of the service listed on the invoice
Invoices must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the service being provided.
Interstate workplace rehabilitation providers must also meet these requirements. If you are an approved provider in your home jurisdiction or under Comcare, you may manage a one-off case under the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme with insurer confirmation, without full application approval. In these circumstances, use payment classification code 999 on your invoice to the insurer.
Workers compensation claims - issues with payment
If you have an issue about a payment for services provided, there are steps you can take.
For more information see Claims disputes.
Updated 31 January 2025