Medicare Psychologist Services

Psychologists can process Medicare rebates for mental health services under the Better Access initiative. With an approved referral from your GP, you may be eligible for rebates to cover part of the cost of treatment for conditions like anxiety and depression.

medicare rebate psychology

Can I claim a Medicare rebate for my sessions?

In many cases, it is possible to claim 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 experiencing symptoms of common psychological and emotional issues, such as depression and anxiety. Please note that couples therapy is not covered by the Better Access to Mental Health scheme.

At TG Psychology both of our psychologists are registered Medicare providers. To be eligible for rebates you must first acquire a referral and a Mental Health Care Plan from your General Practitioner (GP). The referral must include: the doctor’s name and Medicare provider number, a diagnosis, and the date of referral. The current Medicare rebate for sessions with a registered psychologist is $93.35 and you are entitled to claim a total of 10 rebates for psychology 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. Please note that your GP is unable to backdate referrals.

How do I claim my Medicare rebates?

In many cases we are able to process Medicare rebates at the end of your appointment, using our Hicaps terminal. 

First, you will pay your session fee, which can be done by EFTPOS, including tapping by your phone, credit card or cash. Once paid 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.

In order to claim your rebate immediately, you will need to bring your bank card to your appointment. Your bank card must have a cheque or savings account and you will need to know the PIN. Please note: using Hicaps we are only able to transfer rebates to your bank account using an actual bank card, with a savings or cheque account, and you will need to know your PIN. Unfortunately, under Medicare legislation, we are not able to transfer rebates back to a credit card, or by tapping with your phone, and we are not able to provide them in cash.

If you don’t have a bank card, or if you forget to bring it with you to your appointment, you are able to claim your rebate in other ways, including through the MyGov app. However, you should be aware that through this method there will be a delay of at least 2-3 days before your funds will be available to you. For more information about Medicare rebates for psychology services, 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 appointments. 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 appointments. 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.

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Unfortunately, Medicare currently does not allow providers to submit claims directly from mobile devices.