Please Note: No referral is required to see a psychologist.
1. How does the GP referral for Medicare work?
Psychological therapies for people referred by a GP with a diagnosed mental health issue.
This means that to claim the rebate, you must be reffered by a GP.
You are of course welcome to attend without a referral, that simply means not being able to claim the rebate and paying the fees in full.
The Medicare plan allows for a total of six sessions iniitially. A review by your GP might result in a further four sessions if considered appropriate. A maximum of ten session rebates can be received in a calendar year.
2. When do I pay and how can any rebate be claimed?
Fees are required in full on the day of your appointment. You are then able to claim the rebate on the spot or if you prefer can take our receipt to Medicare to claim the rebate.
If you do see a psychologist through this system, your psychologist will remain in contact with your GP to discuss your treatment and progress.
You must return to your GP for a review after six sessions with your psychologist. The GP will assess the appropriateness of further sessions under a Medicare related referral. Without the review any claim made to Medicare will not be processed.
3. Can I see any psychologist and claim the rebate?
The psychologist you see must be registered with the relevant state body. When you search for a psychologist, you will find some that are members of the Australian Psychological Society’s Clinical College and some are not. Many very experienced psychologists are not members of the college.
4. How many sessions can I have?
Clients referred by a GP with a Mental Health Care Plan 2710 initially have six sessions but may be re-referred by their GP with a review, 2712 for a further 4 sessions. For some concerns, you might not need to attend this many sessions, but for other things you might find it helpful to continue past 10 sessions.
Everyone and every situation is different. (all plans involve a review with your GP General Practitioner after 6 sessions.)
5. What if I have a private health cover?
If you belong to a private health fund, you may be able to claim a rebate for psychological services. The exact amount of the rebate will depend upon your level of cover, and the rebate varies between health funds. It is best to check with your fund for an exact per session rebate figure.
You are not able to use private health to cover the gap hence will need to make a decision, if you have private health, about whether you will claim a rebate through Medicare or your private health insurer.
6. Correspondence (Letters and Reports)
Requests for letters and reports by clients for legal or their purposes will incur a fee.
