The Australian Department of Human Services increased the Medicare rebate for psychologist sessions to $126.50 on 1 July 2019.
What does this means for you?
Medicare clients
If you have a current mental health treatment plan and are eligible for a Medicare rebate, your out-of-pocket expenses decreased by $2 per consultation.
We offer on-site processing of your Medicare claims. You may also be eligible for higher Medicare rebates if you meet the threshold for the Medicare Safety Net during the calendar year. You can find out more about the Medicare safety net here.
Private clients
If you are not on a current mental health treatment plan, you can continue to pay as a private client and claim session rebates through your private healthcare fund, if eligible. Please contact your private health insurer to check your eligibility. Some funds cover the entire session fee, while some funds provide part- or limited-coverage. We can process your private health fund rebates on-site.
interested in a mental health treatment plan?
Please see your GP, psychiatrist, or paediatrician to learn more. Your doctor will assess suitability and treatment options with you, such as mental health treatment plans, non-directive pregnancy-related counselling, and enhanced primary care programs (for chronic health conditions), all of which can attract Medicare rebates.
Your doctor can also consider referring you to ATAPS programs, which are government-subsidised psychology sessions managed through your local primary health network. These programs are often low-cost or sometimes free, and reserved for people who are vulnerable and at risk.
Do you have any further questions?
Please feel free to discuss further with your psychologist.
Fees and Rebates
Appointment cancellation and non-attendance
The Australian Psychological Society recommends psychologists charge cancellation and non-attendance fees to promote client attendance, cover running costs, reduce waiting lists, and ensure those most in need of appointments receive a timely service.
While it can be difficult to predict when you may need to cancel or reschedule a session, we would appreciate at least 24 hours’ notice. Appointments can be in high demand, and your early cancellation will give us the opportunity to offer the appointment to another person who may be in dire need of assistance.
If you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice or do not attend your appointment without notice, a fee may be applied. Fees increase with continued late cancellations and non-attendance. These fees cannot be claimed through your private health fund or Medicare.
If you regularly cancel just outside of 24 hours’ notice, a full session fee (plus GST) may eventually be charged. This is because it is hard to fill appointments with limited notice (e.g. 25hrs).
Fees*
First late cancellation (<24hrs): 1/4 of your usual session fee (plus GST)
Second late cancellation (<24hrs): 1/2 of your usual session fee (plus GST)
Third and subsequent late cancellation (<24hrs): your full usual session fee (plus GST)
Third and subsequent late cancellations with 36 to 24hrs notice (i.e., regularly cancelling just outside of 24hrs): your full usual session fee (plus GST)
Non-attendance: your full usual session fee (plus GST).
*Extenuating personal circumstances and your previous cancellation history will be taken into consideration when deciding if a cancellation fee applies. Application of a fee is always at the discretion of the psychologist.
The Australian Psychological Society (APS) recommends a stricter schedule of fees in which we charge the full fee on the first late cancellation. We prefer a more lenient cancellation policy that allows for understanding and compassion but also encourages attendance and early notification of cancelled appointments.
If you have any questions about the policy, please do not hesitate to ask.
Your ongoing booking of appointments will be taken as your agreement to this policy.
APS Charter for Clients
At Mind & Body Psychology, we take the Charter for Clients of APS Psychologists seriously. We want you to be aware of the standards you should expect from your APS psychologist and for you to let us know if you have any feedback on the service you are receiving, so we can improve the service for you — and future clients.
The charter covers concepts such as clear explanations of fees, confidentiality, and informed consent. You can view the charter here.