Information for GPs

Rebates

Medicare Individual Rebates

Clinical psychologist $141.85

General Psychologist $96.65

Rebates are deducted from each psychology session fee for 10 sessions per calendar year.

Medicare Group Rebates

$36.00 – $66.00

The 10 Group Sessions are in addition to individual sessions when referred.

We bulk-bill group sessions.

Fees

Individual Psychology  fees at Cetas Psychology

The clinical psychologist rebate is $141.85 per session.

The first three sessions are bulk billed and then will revert to one of the following fees:

·       Standard is $270 (Rebate $141.85. The out-of-pocket expense is $128.15).
This remains below the APS National Schedule of Recommended Fees, and we work hard to keep it as low as possible.

·       Discounted are $200 (Rebate $141.85. The out-of-pocket expense is $58.15).
Offered to low-income students, part-time or minimal employment, parental leave, and low-income families to make therapy better accessible.

·       Bulk billing is at no cost to the individual and is fully subsidised under Medicare.
This is available to those who meet our no-gap fee criteria, including financial hardship, pension, concessions, and no-income earners. Please enquire with us if this applies to you. We will do our best to accommodate; however, we only take a limited number of bulk billing clients at a time.

 Medicare Group Psychology at Cetas Psychology

$36.00 – $66.00

We bulk-bill group sessions, so these are at no cost to the individual.

How many sessions can my patient access?

In a calendar year (from January 1st to December 31st), your patient can receive 10 individual and/or 10 group Medicare-rebated psychological therapies and Focused Psychological Services.

Individual Sessions

The Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative is typically referred in two parts:

Initial Referral: Up to six (6) sessions of psychological treatment. After the number of referred sessions is exhausted, the patient must return to you for a referral review.

The maximum number of sessions you can include on an initial referral is six (6).

Referral Review. Known as the mental health treatment plan review.

The maximum number of sessions you can include on a MHCP review referral is four (4)

This equals to a maximum of 10 rebatable sessions a year.

Patients can have more than 10 sessions; however, the rebate will not apply to more than 10 sessions in a calendar year, and they will pay out of pocket.

Group Sessions

Patients can receive 10 group sessions and individual therapy in a calendar year.

The client is not required to return after six sessions to access the full 10 sessions for the year.

Group sessions are always bulk-billed at C etas Psychology and are a no-cost way to supplement individual therapy for patients.

  • Medicare requires a valid referral from a medical practitioner to provide psychological treatment under the Better Access Initiative (Medicare rebates on psychological sessions).

    Whilst receiving a copy of the Mental Health Care Plan is beneficial, the referral is essential.

  • Referrals are valid for the number of sessions stated in them.

    • Individual Psychology is usually referred for six (initial referral) and four sessions (MHCP review referral ), equal to 10 sessions per calendar year.

    • Group Psychology is usually referred for up to 10 sessions in a calendar year.

    Mental health referrals do not expire at the end of the year.

    If your patient has not used all the services stated on their referral by the end of the calendar year, they do not roll over.

  • There’s no standard mental health referral. However, a signed and dated letter is required. The referral should also include your patient’s:

    Name

    Date of birth

    Address

    Their symptoms or diagnosis

    The number of treatment services the patient has been referred for

    Notify whether the patient has a Mental Health Treatment / Care Plan, shared care plan or a psychiatrist assessment and management plan.

  • To be eligible, a patient must both have a mental health condition and be likely to benefit from a structured approach to manage their needs.

    The Better Access initiative enables access to psychological treatment for high prevalence mild to moderate mental health conditions. The conditions classified as mental disorders under the Better Access Initiative are informed by the World Health Organisation, 1996, Diagnostic and Management Guidelines for Mental Disorders in Primary Care: ICD-10 Chapter V Primary Care Version. For the purposes of these items, dementia, delirium, tobacco use disorder and mental retardation are not regarded as a mental disorder. Please note that Personality disorders are also not included in the ICD-10 primary care version.

    • Alcohol use disorder

    • Adjustment disorder

    • Anxiety Disorders

    • Attention deficit disorder

    • Bereavement disorder

    • Bipolar disorder

    • Chronic fatigue

    • Conduct disorder

    • Co-occurring anxiety and depression

    • Depression

    • Dissociative disorders

    • Substance use disorders (excluding tobacco use disorder)

    • Eating disorders

    • Mental disorder, not otherwise specified

    • Obsessive compulsive disorder

    • Post traumatic stress disorder

    • Psychotic disorders

    • Schizophrenia

    • Sexual disorders

    • Sleep problems

    • Unexplained physical complaints

What services can GPs provide and claim With the Better Access Initiative?

Before you go…

The above has been adapted from several official and credible sites. For more information, see
Services Australia’s Mental Health Care Plans for Professionals and Gpmhsc

This site page was last updated 13/01/2025