Can I claim a Medicare rebate for my sessions?
In many cases it is possible to access Medicare rebates for your sessions at TG Psychology, under the Australian Government’s “Better Access to Mental Health Care” scheme. This initiative makes treatment by registered psychologists more affordable for many people who are experiencing symptoms of common psychological and emotional issues, such as depression and anxiety. At TG Psychology both of our psychologists are registered Medicare providers.
To be eligible for Medicare rebates you must first acquire a Mental Health Care Plan and a referral from your General Practitioner (GP). The referral must include: the doctor’s name and Medicare provider number, a diagnosis, date of referral and the number of sessions that are being approved. The doctor is able to approve up to 6 psychology sessions initially. Please note that currently Medicare rebates are only available for individual psychology sessions. Unfortunately couples therapy is not covered by the Better Access to Mental Health scheme.
When your initial course of treatment is completed (usually 6 sessions), your psychologist may recommend that you attend further sessions. If this is approved by your doctor, you may be entitled to claim a total of up to 10 Medicare rebates in a calendar year. Please note, a calendar year is the period from 1st January to 31st December and not the 12 month period following the referral date.
We recommend that you visit your doctor at least a couple of days before attending your first appointment at TG Psychology. This ensures adequate time for your Mental Health Care plan to be prepared and processed by Medicare.
How do I claim my Medicare rebates?
In most cases we are able to process Medicare rebates at the end of your appointments. You will first pay your session fee, which can be done by EFTPOS, credit card or cash. Then your psychologist will process your rebate, using your Medicare card. Once approved by Medicare, your psychologist will then be able to transfer your rebate directly into your bank account, using your savings or debit card. Unfortunately we are not able to transfer Medicare rebates back on to your credit card and we are not able to provide it in cash. The current Medicare rebate for sessions with a registered psychologist is $84.80.
For more information about Medicare rebates for services provided by psychologists please, refer to the Australian Psychological Society fact sheet
Private Health Insurance
Alternatively, it may be possible to claim a rebate through private health insurance, as many insurers provide some cover for psychology sessions. Please check with your insurer for more details. Our psychologists are registered with most insurers and can process most private health insurance claims at the end of your session. Or they can provide you with a receipt for you to claim yourself, if you prefer. Please note that you cannot claim private health insurance for any session for which you have also claimed a Medicare rebate.
