Fee schedule
DVA chiropractic fee schedule 2026-27
From 1 July 2026 DVA pays $77.10 (GST-free) for an initial or subsequent chiropractic consultation in rooms (items CH01 and CH02), up from $75.10 under the 1 July 2025 schedule. Chiropractors registered with DVA to perform x-rays can also claim CH20 to CH27 at 100 per cent of the MBS rate. The 12 session treatment cycle applies, and you cannot charge the veteran a gap.
Last checked 25 Sep 2026 against the sources listed at the end of this page.
- Payer
- DVA
- Effective from
- 1 Jul 2026
- Official schedule
- Source document
What changed this year
- Every dollar fee in the schedule went up by roughly 2.6 per cent against the 1 July 2025 schedule. The rooms consultations (CH01, CH02) moved from $75.10 to $77.10, and the home initial (CH03) from $78.15 to $80.20.
- The radiology items moved with the same increase: spine two regions (CH27) rose from $111.65 to $114.55 and the pelvic girdle item (CH21) from $69.95 to $71.75, tracking the Medicare Benefits Schedule rate DVA pegs them to.
- No rules changed. Apart from the fees and the CH99 fee column (now shown as FBN, previously "Specified at time of request"), the 1 July 2026 schedule reads the same as the 1 July 2025 one.
- The treatment cycle still applies. A referral lasts up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever ends first, and each cycle starts with an initial consultation.
All 30 chiropractic items
| Item | Description | Fee | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|
| CH01 | Initial consultation, examination and treatment, rooms (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH02 | Subsequent consultation, examination and treatment, rooms (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH03 | Initial consultation, examination and treatment, home (GST-free) | $80.20 | $78.15 |
| CH04 | Subsequent consultation, examination and treatment, home (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH70 | Subsequent consultation, video conference (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH71 | Subsequent consultation, phone, only when video is unavailable (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH90 | End of cycle report, once per cycle (taxable) | $35.40 | $34.50 |
| CH76 | GP initiated case conference, 15 to less than 20 minutes (GST-free) | $58.50 | $57.00 |
| CH77 | GP initiated case conference, 20 to less than 40 minutes (GST-free) | $100.30 | $97.75 |
| CH78 | GP initiated case conference, 40 minutes and over (GST-free) | $166.85 | $162.60 |
| CH35 | Private hospital, initial consultation, 1st client (GST-free) | $80.20 | $78.15 |
| CH36 | Private hospital, initial consultation, 2nd and subsequent clients (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH37 | Private hospital, subsequent consultation, 1st client (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH38 | Private hospital, subsequent consultation, 2nd and subsequent clients (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH45 | Residential aged care, initial consultation, 1st client (GST-free) | $80.20 | $78.15 |
| CH46 | Residential aged care, initial consultation, 2nd and subsequent clients (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH47 | Residential aged care, subsequent consultation, 1st client (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH48 | Residential aged care, subsequent consultation, 2nd and subsequent clients (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH31 | Public hospital, initial consultation, 1st client, prior authorisation only (GST-free) | $80.20 | $78.15 |
| CH32 | Public hospital, initial consultation, 2nd and subsequent clients, prior authorisation only (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH33 | Public hospital, subsequent consultation, 1st client, prior authorisation only (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH34 | Public hospital, subsequent consultation, 2nd and subsequent clients, prior authorisation only (GST-free) | $77.10 | $75.10 |
| CH20 | Radiology, hip joint, MBS item 57712, 100% of MBS rate (GST-free) | $55.50 | $54.10 |
| CH21 | Radiology, pelvic girdle, MBS item 57715, 100% of MBS rate (GST-free) | $71.75 | $69.95 |
| CH23 | Radiology, spine cervical, MBS item 58100, 100% of MBS rate (GST-free) | $79.05 | $77.05 |
| CH24 | Radiology, spine thoracic, MBS item 58103, 100% of MBS rate (GST-free) | $64.95 | $63.30 |
| CH25 | Radiology, spine lumbosacral, MBS item 58106, 100% of MBS rate (GST-free) | $90.65 | $88.35 |
| CH26 | Radiology, spine sacrococcygeal, MBS item 58109, 100% of MBS rate (GST-free) | $55.35 | $53.95 |
| CH27 | Radiology, spine two regions, MBS item 58112, 100% of MBS rate (GST-free) | $114.55 | $111.65 |
| CH99 | Report or service specifically requested by DVA, prior authorisation, DVA advises the fee (taxable) | FBN | Specified at time of request |
What changed on 1 July 2026
DVA published a new chiropractors schedule of fees effective 1 July 2026, replacing the schedule that started on 1 July 2025. The change is indexation only, roughly 2.6 per cent across every item. CH01 and CH02, the rooms consultations, moved from $75.10 to $77.10. The home initial (CH03) is now $80.20 and the home subsequent (CH04) stayed level with the rooms rate at $77.10.
The radiology items rose by the same margin, since DVA sets them at 100 per cent of the Medicare Benefits Schedule rate for the matching MBS item number. A two region spinal x-ray (CH27) is now $114.55, up from $111.65, and a lumbosacral spine film (CH25) is $90.65, up from $88.35.
Radiology sits alongside the consultation items, and only for registered providers
Chiropractic is the only DVA allied health schedule in this family with its own radiology section. CH20 to CH27 cover hip, pelvic and spinal x-rays at the equivalent MBS rate, but only chiropractors who have registered with DVA to perform and assess x-rays at their practice can claim them. If you have not sent DVA your registration documentation, do not add these items to your billing software, because a claim without registration on file will be rejected.
One and two region spinal x-ray items are limited to one service for the same client on the same day, so a veteran referred for both a cervical and a lumbosacral film in one visit is billed under CH27 rather than CH23 plus CH25.
The treatment cycle and where claims get knocked back
Treatment cycle arrangements started on 1 October 2019 and still apply in 2026-27. A GP referral covers up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever ends first. Each cycle starts with an initial consultation, and only one initial can be claimed per cycle. At the end of the cycle you send an end of cycle report to the client's usual GP and claim CH90 ($35.40, taxable), and the client then needs a new referral before you treat again.
The treatment cycle does not apply to the radiology items, case conferencing, the end of cycle report itself, CH99, or any treatment given while the client is admitted to hospital. The common rejection is claiming a subsequent consultation the same day as the initial, or claiming two subsequent consultations on the same day, both of which the schedule rules out.
Loading the schedule into Cliniko
Chiropractic clinics on DVA billing typically need fewer than 30 items, which makes a one off CSV import practical. Name each item with the DVA prefix and the plain English description so reception is not guessing what CH35 or CH46 means when they book a private hospital or aged care visit. Keep the radiology items out of the list entirely unless your practice is DVA registered for x-ray, since importing them invites a claim you cannot actually submit.
When DVA republishes the schedule each 1 July, export your existing billable items, update only the Price column against the new PDF, and re-import. That keeps the same Item IDs so historical invoices still show the fee that applied on the day of service.
Claiming notes
- Card types: a Veteran Card, All Conditions (the Gold Card) covers clinically necessary chiropractic care for all conditions. A Veteran Card, Specific Conditions (the White Card) covers accepted conditions only, so confirm eligibility before the first treatment.
- No gap: by accepting the card you agree to accept the DVA fee as full payment and cannot charge the veteran a gap fee.
- Referral: the client needs a valid referral from their GP. For an initial treatment cycle it can also come from a medical specialist, a treating hospital doctor or a hospital discharge planner.
- Treatment cycle: up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever ends first, then a new GP referral. Claim the end of cycle report (CH90) once per cycle, only after you send it to the client's usual GP. You may send it after eight sessions but should still provide 12 before a new cycle.
- One consultation per client per day. A subsequent consultation cannot be claimed on the same day as an initial consultation for the same client, and two subsequent consultations cannot be claimed on the same day.
- Radiology: only chiropractors registered with DVA can perform and claim x-rays. Send your registration documentation to DVA before your first radiology claim. One and two region spinal x-rays are limited to one service per client per day.
- Telehealth: only CH70 and CH71 exist. Initial consultations cannot be delivered by permanent telehealth, and phone is only allowed when video is unavailable.
- Shaded items (public hospital) need prior financial authorisation before you treat. Request it at health.approval@dva.gov.au or on 1800 550 457 (option 3, then option 1).
- How to claim: DVA Webclaim is free through Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) via PRODA and pays within 2 business days. Practice management software compatible with DVA claiming is the second option, and mail to Veterans' Affairs Processing, Services Australia, GPO Box 964, Adelaide SA 5001 is the slowest.
- Time limit: claims must reach Services Australia within 2 years of the date of service. Billing and claim enquiries go to 1300 550 017.
Load these fees into your practice software
- Cliniko supports bulk import of billable items. Go to Settings, then Data & docs, then Data imports, choose Billable items and click Import.
- Before importing, add a GST tax type under Settings if you have not already. The import matches the Taxable column against tax types that already exist in your account.
- Build a CSV with a heading row and these columns: Item code, Name, Price (ex. tax), Taxable, Item type. Put the DVA code (for example CH01) in Item code, a name that starts with DVA (for example "DVA CH01 Initial consultation, rooms") so reception can find it, the fee from the table above in Price (ex. tax), and service in Item type.
- Leave Taxable blank for the GST-free items. Set it to your GST tax type for CH90 and CH99.
- Import the radiology items (CH20 to CH27) only if you are DVA registered to bulk bill x-rays. If you outsource imaging, skip them.
- Upload the CSV, click Next to match information, check each column matched, then click Import and finish. The items appear under Settings, Billable items.
- Each July, update prices in bulk rather than creating new items: export billable items as a CSV from Data exports, keep the Item ID column and the price column, change the prices, then import it again and enable only the price field. Cliniko warns there is no undo, so keep the original export.
- To claim DVA from inside Cliniko you need the Tyro Health integration on a Tyro Health plan that includes DVA claiming. Store the client's DVA number in their patient file so it fills the claim form automatically.
Sources
- From 1 July 2026 DVA pays $77.10 (excluding GST, GST-free) for CH01 initial consultation and CH02 subsequent consultation in rooms. Department of Veterans' Affairs, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Under the schedule effective 1 July 2025, CH01 and CH02 were $75.10, CH03 was $78.15 and CH27 (spine, two regions) was $111.65. Department of Veterans' Affairs, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- DVA fees for radiology services provided by licensed chiropractors are set at 100 per cent of the Medicare Benefits Schedule, and one and two region spinal x-ray items are limited to one service for the same client on the same day. Department of Veterans' Affairs, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- A referral to an allied health provider lasts up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever ends first. Department of Veterans' Affairs, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- By accepting a Veteran Card you agree to accept the DVA fee as full payment and cannot charge the card holder a gap fee. Department of Veterans' Affairs, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- DVA Webclaim is free via HPOS through PRODA, pays within 2 business days, and all claims must be submitted within 2 years of the service. Department of Veterans' Affairs, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Cliniko's data import tool can create billable items from a CSV with the fields Item code, Name, Price (ex. tax), Taxable and Item type. Cliniko, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Cliniko can update billable item prices in bulk by exporting, editing and re-importing a CSV keyed on Item ID, and there is no undo. Cliniko, checked 25 Sep 2026.