Accessing Medicare Rebates
Have a medicare referral and looking to book an appointment? Click the link below!
Making therapy more accessible
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Making therapy more accessible 〰️
Accessing Medicare rebates for psychology
Starting therapy can already feel like a big step. The Medicare side of things can feel confusing, so here’s a simple guide to how it works.
At State of Being, we want the process to feel clear, calm, and easy to navigate.
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To access a Medicare rebate for psychology sessions under the Better Access initiative, you’ll usually need two things from your GP:
a Mental Health Treatment Plan
a referral letter to a psychologist
Eligible patients can claim Medicare benefits for up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year under Better Access. Your allowance resets on January 1st each year.
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Most people begin with a referral for up to 6 sessions. If you need further support after that, you’ll need to return to your GP for a review before accessing more sessions.
Following this review, your GP may refer you for additional sessions, up to the annual Medicare limit.
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No. You do not need a new referral for every appointment.
You will, however, need to return to your GP after your initial course of sessions if you’d like to continue claiming Medicare rebates. This is a standard part of the Better Access process.
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Usually, a referral is written for a course of treatment of up to 6 sessions at a time under Better Access.
A recent APS update noted that where a referral does not specify the number of sessions, psychologists should attempt to contact the referrer to confirm the required number of sessions.
Because of this, if your referral does not clearly state session numbers, our admin team may need to follow up with your GP before processing Medicare claims.
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Before your first Medicare-rebated session, we’ll need:
your Mental Health Treatment Plan
your referral letter
both documents dated on or before your first appointment
This helps ensure your rebate can be processed correctly under Medicare requirements. Referral validity and claiming rules are governed by Better Access referral requirements and annual claiming limits.
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You’re still welcome to continue therapy.
Once you’ve used your Medicare-funded Better Access sessions for the calendar year, ongoing appointments can continue at the private feeor use private health insurance if you have appropriate cover. You can also speak with your GP about eligibility for other Medicare plans and they can guide you based on your circumstances. We can also talk through what support options may make the most sense for you at that point.
The Process
Visit your GP
Book an appointment with your General Practitioner and ask to have a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) prepared for you, along with a referral letter.
Book a session
Book an appointment with us for anytime after the date you received your MHCP (or after your GP appointment if booking beforehand).
Upload your MHCP
We will provide you with a secure link to upload your Medicare referral and MHCP.
Receive your rebate
After your appointment takes place, we will process the rebate for you, and you should receive it into your account a few days later.
We can help make it feel simpler
If you’re not sure what to ask your GP for, that’s okay. We’re happy to guide you through the process so it feels as straightforward as possible.
Starting therapy is enough without having to decode Medicare on your own.
Questions before booking?
Get in touch at hello@stateofbeingwell.au and we’ll point you in the right direction.