Evidence-Based Care for Trauma and Pregnancy to Parenthood

A Mental Health Treatment Plan is a referral, prepared by your GP which enables you to access a Medicare rebate to offset some of the cost of your therapy session.

Better Access: Making Quality Therapy More Affordable

The Better Access program, offered by Medicare, provides financial support for Australians seeking therapy for diagnosed mental health conditions. Here at Angela Chadwick Psychology, we understand the importance of accessible mental healthcare, and we’re here to help you navigate the Better Access program.

Qualifying for Better Access:

To be eligible for Medicare rebates under Better Access, you must have a diagnosed mental health condition like depression, anxiety, or a similar disorder.

Your GP needs to develop a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) for you, outlining your diagnosis and recommended treatment options.

When making a GP appointment to enquire about a Mental Health Treatment Plan, we recommend that you book a long/double appointment so that the GP has sufficient time to prepare this.

How Many Sessions Are Covered?

The Better Access program offers rebates for up to 10 individual psychology sessions per calendar year - 10 is the maximum allowable rebated sessions on offer.

Initially, your GP or psychiatrist may refer you for up to 6 sessions.

If you require further sessions, your psychologist will collaborate with your GP to develop request additional sessions through a re-referral.

Understanding the Rebates:

The Better Access program provides rebates to help offset the cost of therapy sessions. The current Medicare rebate for psychology services is $93.35 per session (as of May 2024).

Generally Medicare reviews, and slightly increases this rebate each financial year.

You are required to pay a gap fee – the difference between the Psychologist’s fee and the Medicare rebate.

We do not bulk bill at Angela Chadwick Psychology. If you are seeking Bulk Billing options, please enquire with your GP.

Prior to your first appointment, you will need to supply: Referral letter from your GP: We need to obtain both the Referral Letter and the Mental Health Treatment Plan itself to ensure compliance with Medicare.

These documents are required prior to your first appointment – please ask the GP Reception to fax this through. A valid referral is required in order to claim the Medicare rebate.

Important considerations:

To be eligible for Medicare rebates under Better Access, you must have a diagnosed mental health condition like depression, anxiety, or a similar disorder.

Openness to Collaboration:

Better Access requires Psychologists to partner with your GP to ensure continuity of care. Your psychologist is required to provide written updates to your GP throughout your treatment. This means that your GP will receive a letter following session 1,6 and 10 as per Medicare compliance requirements.

If you are concerned about this, then you are welcome to self-refer, and the fee payable excludes the rebate amount. Some people are able to claim a portion of this fee back via their private health insurance.

It is your responsibility to keep track of when you need to visit the GP for a new referral.

Telehealth appointments are now widely accepted under the Better Access program, offering greater flexibility in accessing therapy.

Taking Care of Your Mental Wellbeing:

If you’re experiencing mental health challenges, don’t hesitate to seek help. The Better Access program can make quality therapy more affordable.

The first session will involve a us talking about your presenting concerns so that we can understand what might be in the way of you living the life that you want to be living.

This first session is a bit of a “try-it-out” for both of us. I want to make sure that I have the skills and experience to support you, and that you feel comfortable with me and think that further sessions will be helpful.

Together, we will seek to understand your story and focus on your therapy goals and decide on a treatment plan, so that you have a clear sense of what you can expect from our work together. 

Subsequent sessions involve targeted work towards your therapeutic goals by way of an evidence-based therapy.

When seeing a psychologist, you can expect that your information is kept private and confidential. There are some limits to this confidentiality according to duty of care requirements. This will be discussed in detail with your psychologist during your first session.

You can also read more about confidentiality and health care in Australia here - https://au.reachout.com/articles/confidentiality-and-healthcare

Couples therapy and family-based therapy (as these are specialised areas)

Assessments (neuropsychological, cognitive functioning, or learning ability)

Medico-legal reports or reports for the family court, or compensation purposes

Treatment for neurological conditions such as stroke, brain injury, epilepsy, Parkinson's Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Treatment under Victims of Crime scheme or Department of Veteran Affairs schemes

Angela Chadwick Psychology runs on an appointment basis and is not a crisis service. Please see support options listed on this website. You are encouraged to reach out to any one of these options.