Consultation Fees – Individual Sessions
The fee for a standard 50-55 minute individual appointment is $240. If you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your doctor (or a letter of referral from your psychiatrist) you are eligible for a $128.40/appointment rebate from Medicare (see below) for 10 consultations in a calendar year. During the COVID period the Commonwealth Government has provided an additional 10 consultations per annum, bringing the number of consultations for which you will receive a rebate to 20 in a calendar year.
Payment is by cash, credit card (Visa and MasterCard) or eftpos at the time of your appointment.
Cancellations, No Shows & Appointment Changes
When you engage in therapy it is assumed that you have made a commitment to attend those appointments reserved for you. If you are unable to attend your reserved appointment it is important to give at least 24-48 hours notice so that your scheduled appointment can be offered to another client. This helps minimise appointment waiting times. The full fee ($240) is payable in those instances where less than 24 hours is given for cancelled or rescheduled appointments or where clients fail to show for booked appointments. Medicare Rebates are not available for payments on late cancellations.
We understand that there will be some unforeseen circumstances (e.g. illness) when you will be unable to attend an appointment. It is important that you advise us of this as soon as possible so that alternative arrangements can be made.
Medicare Rebates for Psychological Services
If you wish to claim a rebate through Medicare, you will need a referral letter and a Mental Health Care Plan, both from your GP. Make an appointment with your GP to discuss your concerns and to see if you qualify under this scheme. A longer consultation with you doctor is generally required for this. Your GP may then create a Mental Health Care plan for you.
With a Mental Health Care Plan you will be eligible to receive a substantial rebate ($128.40/session) from Medicare for up to ten sessions of psychological treatment per calendar year (currently 20 consultations with the COVID extension). Medicare requires your psychologist to provide progress reports to your doctor following the sixth and tenth treatment sessions.
Please bring your referral letter and your Mental Health Care Plan to your first appointment to ensure that you’ll be able to claim the rebate. An electronic rebate is available for your convenience at the time of your appointment.
For more information about Medicare rebates and the conditions that qualify for this rebate visit the Australian Psychological Society website.
Health Fund Rebates
If you belong to a private health fund, you may be able to claim a rebate for psychological services. Please check with your health fund for the exact amount you can claim as rebates between health funds vary markedly and some funds do not offer any rebate.
