15/04/2025
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Breaking News: After years of advocacy, collaboration, and perseverance, seven natural therapies will be reinstated under private health insurance coverage, following the acceptance of recommendations from the recent Natural Therapies Review.
The therapies returning to cover are:
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Yoga
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Pilates
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Tai Chi
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Shiatsu
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Naturopathy
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Western Herbal Medicine
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Alexander Technique
This decision reflects a powerful shift in recognition of the value that natural therapies bring to Australiansâ health and wellbeing.
As President of ATMS, I want to take this moment to thank every individual and organisation who has contributed to this outcome. The path to reinstatement has been long, and it has required the unwavering efforts of allied associations, sector leaders, and countless advocates who have worked across decades to champion natural medicine. To our predecessors - we see you, we honour your legacy, and this moment belongs to you too.
The review, led by Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd AO and supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), concluded that these therapies are supported by sufficient evidence of effectiveness to return to being included in private health insurance benefits. The government has accepted the recommendations and is working toward timely re-inclusion.
This decision does not automatically mean all insurers will cover these therapiesâbut it removes the regulatory barriers that prevented them from doing so. It opens the door again. ATMS will now continue to work closely with insurers, regulators, and credentialing bodies to ensure a smooth and practical return for practitioners and consumers. We know this means so much to so many, and we share in your excitement and relief. We also recognise there is more work ahead, and ATMS remains committed to being a strong, strategic voice for our profession. Thank you for your support, your belief, and your ongoing dedication to natural therapies in Australia. Together, weâve made historyâand together, we will shape what comes next.
Warm regards,
Rebecca Lang
President
Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS)