Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA) today warmly welcomes the decision by the Hon. Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, to accept recommendations to allow private health insurers to once again offer rebates for several natural therapies.
This is a significant and welcome breakthrough that puts patients first. Australians have long valued natural therapies as part of their health care, and this decision brings private health insurance policy back in line with public demand and emerging evidence.
CMA has long campaigned for this change, to support the millions of Australians that use natural therapies to improve their health and wellbeing – through modalities such as naturopathy, yoga, Pilates and western herbal medicine.
This policy shift follows the release of the recommendations from the Natural Therapies Review 2024, led by Professor Michael Kidd AO and supported by the expert members of the Natural Therapies Review Expert Advisory Panel (NTREAP).
The reinstatement of rebates will significantly improve access to these therapies for Australians with private health insurance, particularly benefiting those managing chronic conditions or seeking preventive healthcare approaches.
This decision not only enhances access to natural therapies, it also helps to take pressure off an overstretched health system by helping people to stay well and avoid visits to GPs and hospitals.
Naturopathy, one of the therapies to be reinstated, represents a particularly valuable addition to private healthcare options. With more than 10,000 practicing naturopaths in Australia, this profession offers holistic and preventive treatments focused on lifestyle medicine, dietary modifications and natural interventions.
Australian naturopaths have some of the highest standards of education, practice and research globally. They provide evidence-based care that can make a real difference in patients’ lives, especially for those with chronic conditions who benefit from holistic approaches to healthcare.
CMA acknowledges the dedication and professionalism of the Natural Therapies Review Expert Advisory Panel, with special recognition for Professor Emeritus Alan Bensoussan and Professor Jon Wardle, whose decades of research, advocacy, and leadership have helped drive this critical policy change.
The original 2019 decision to remove rebates, based on outdated and narrow interpretations of evidence, had the perverse effect of driving younger Australians away from private health insurance, worsening the risk pool and undermining sustainability. The necessary regulation to remove the ban will be prepared following the federal election.
This announcement is an important first step in recognising the vital role complementary medicines and therapies play in our healthcare system. CMA looks forward to working with the government to build on this decision and further integrate evidence-based complementary medicine into Australia’s healthcare framework.
