FAQ’s
Medicare Rebates
What are the steps to access rebated sessions?
As everyone’s mental health journey is different, it is up to you to keep track of your Mental Health Plan and make sure it is up to date to access your rebates. To help make this as easy as possible we have broken down the path to rebated sessions.
Your referral will not provide access to all 10 eligible sessions at once. You will have regular referral check-ins with your GP to top up your plan and check in on your progress. This pathway looks like this:
Initial assessment with your GP for up to 6 sessions with a psychologist.
Your GP will provide two documents: a referral letter and a Mental Health Plan. Once you have these documents you can take a picture or scan a copy and email it to hello@connectpsychology.au.
Did your GP send Connect Psychology Australia these documents? Please reach out to hello@connectpsychology.au to confirm.
After session 5/6, your psychologist will need to write a brief letter to your GP to share progress and request additional sessions as needed. You will need to book a session with your GP at this time to review your progress.
Once approved your GP will issue a letter to your psychologist to provide access to 4 more sessions. They may provide the letter to you directly (for you to then email to hello@connectpsychology.au like you did with your initial MHCP and referral document). Check with your GP which option they will take.
We recommend discussing your plan with your psychologist as you get started so they can assist you in keeping on track with your plan and re-referrals as needed.
How to book a mental health assessment with my doctor?
When you book the appointment with your doctor you can request a long, or double appointment. This will give you the space to talk through what is happening, and you are less likely to feel rushed, and more likely to feel acknowledged. Also, legally your doctor needs to have at least a 20 minute appointment to appropriately explore your mental health.
Not all doctors cover mental health, you can check in with your usual doctor if this is something they can support with (before your first appointment), or whether they recommend an appointment with another doctor. Most General Practitioners should be able to support you, but there is no harm in double-checking to make sure you get the right support to make the process smoother.
You can be part of the process when it comes to making a treatment plan…it is your health and wellbeing after all. If you know you want to seek counselling make sure you mention this specifically so your doctor can help you with a Mental Health Plan.
How to get a Mental Health Plan?
The first step to getting a Mental Health Plan is to book an appointment with your doctor (often called a mental health assessment), who will help to assess what you need.
During the appointment your doctor might ask some personal questions to help better understand your situation. This could include whether you have any history of mental illness, any recent or historical life challenges, your family history of mental health, any alcohol or drug use, the coping strategies you use and if you have thoughts of suicide. They may even ask you to complete a short questionnaire (called a K10) which helps to understand the level of emotional distress you are experiencing.
Once your doctor has taken the time to understand your presenting concerns, they might provide a diagnosis and make recommendations for seeking help – this is called a treatment plan. It might include things like medication, lifestyle changes and/or counselling. In order to access a Mental Health Plan, you must have an eligible Medicare card.
It might feel uncomfortable to talk about your experiences and challenges, so remember to be gentle and kind to yourself, and go at your own pace.
How can I get my Mental Health Plan online?
It's also possible to get your Mental Health Plan by requesting an online appointment. Talk to an online GP from the comfort of your own home and receive your Mental Health Plan and referral letter just like you would in a face-to-face appointment.
Learn more about online Mental Health Plans
What are the benefits of getting a Mental Health Plan?
It might involve a few steps, but once you have one you are eligible to access up to 10 sessions per calendar year. A Mental Health Plan allows Australian residents who hold a valid Medicare card to access crucial treatment for mental health concerns at a more affordable rate.
As of 2024, if you have an eligible Mental Health Plan, the government will provide you with a rebate or pay part of the costs for accessing psychological services:
If you see a Registered Psychologist, you will get back $96.65
How to select a psychologist for your referral?
During the appointment with your doctor, you can ask them if they have any recommendations for a psychologist or psychological practice/service, but you can also do your own research and find your own psychologist. Your doctor will then need to write you a referral to your chosen psychologist or service. Once you have these two documents you are ready to get started and can contact the person/service listed on the referral and start discussing making your first appointment. Some other things to consider might be:
You might want to check in about whether they have a waitlist and how long it is.
Read their online profile and review areas they have experience in. It's important to find a good match, and someone who works with and can support your specific needs.
Consider whether you want face-to-face or virtual sessions.
Make sure that they accept Mental Health Plans so you can have some costs subsidised by Medicare.
If funds are tight, you can also check if they offer any Bulk Billed sessions, but keep in mind this can sometimes impact the wait time, so check that out.
Although you might have the name of a psychologist written on your referral letter, it doesn't mean that you can't get Medicare rebates for sessions with a different psychologist. That referral letter can actually be used by any psychologist, so don't let that choice stop you from starting your mental health journey, you can always decide later on.
How many rebated psychology sessions can I get each year through Medicare?
The short answer is up to 10 rebated psychology sessions per calendar year in 2025.
As per the January 2023 Medicare Update for psychology sessions, the additional 10 sessions/year accessible through the Covid10+ referral item number has been removed.
In response to the COVID19 Pandemic, the Australian government increased the number of medicare-subsidised sessions to 20. This increase was extended again in December 2022 but has now unfortunately been reduced once again to 10.
For background, the Better Access initiative gives Medicare rebates to help people access mental health professionals and care, regardless of where they live.
How to find Medicare psychologists?
All of our psychologists are eligible to be considered as Medicare psychologists, meaning that our clients can claim Medicare rebates for their sessions with our Connect Psychology Australia psychologists. As long as you are eligible for Medicare rebates, you can claim your rebates with our psychologists.
You can also search for psychologists near you on the Find a Psychologist page of the Australian Psychological Society’s (APS’s) webpage.
How do I claim Medicare rebates for my psychology sessions?
At Connect Psychology Australia, we automatically process your Medicare rebates for your refund at the end of the day of your session. Just ensure your information is correct with MyGov and Medicare, and when you complete our intake form and your rebate will be refunded to your nominated bank account.
Private Health Insurance Claims
Can I claim rebates through both Medicare and private health insurance for psychology sessions?
No, you can only claim rebates for a psychology session one time, either through your private health insurance provider or through Medicare. If you’ve already made a Medicare claim for your session, your private health insurer won’t give you any additional rebates.
Can I still receive a rebate for my psychology session if I don’t have private health insurance?
If you don’t have private health insurance or if your insurance plan doesn’t include psychology services, you may still be able to receive reduced-cost therapy sessions through Medicare. To be eligible for Medicare rebates, you’ll need a valid Medicare card, a Mental Health Plan and a GP referral letter.
Why do some people claim psychology rebates through private health insurance over Medicare?
If you aren’t eligible for Medicare rebates (you don’t have a Mental Health Plan, GP referral letter and valid Medicare card), you may choose to access reduced-cost psychology sessions through private health insurance instead.
If you are eligible for Medicare rebates, you can receive a maximum of 10 rebated psychology sessions per calendar year. If you wish to continue with therapy after you’ve completed your 10 sessions, you may claim these through private health insurance instead.
I’m making a private insurance claim for my session. How will I be charged?
When you make your psychology session booking you’ll pay the full private fee. Once the session has been completed the amount will be charged to your account and Connect Psychology will email you the paid invoice. Then you’re ready to make your claim directly through your private health insurance provider.
The amount you will be rebated through private health insurance depends your insurance plan’s level of cover.
Are Connect Psychology psychologists approved providers for my private health insurance policy?
Most private health insurers require psychologists to be registered with Medicare Australia and with the AHPRA.
All psychologists are fully registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and are listed with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Before booking your psychology session, check your private health insurance policy to ensure your psychologist meets their criteria.