Medicare

 

Rebates are available for Psychological services under a number of Medicare Initiatives.

 

1) Better Access to Mental health care Initiative. This is available for people with a known mental health problem. You can access a rebate for up to 10 individual sessions in a calendar year. Your referring Doctor will assess your need for further sessions after 6 sessions. The Mental health Care Plan is required to be in the name of the person attending sessions, and cannot be claimed by parents or guardians. In order to claim for each session, it is worth while asking your GP for separate  Mental Health Care Plans in both yours, and your child’s name. This way, if sessions are attended by parents, without the  child present, it is claimable through Medicare.

 

2) Helping Children with Autism Initiative. This is available for children under the age of 13 (for the assessment items) and under the age of 15 (for the treatment items) and has items for assessment and treatment. 

 

Assessment Services: You can access a rebate for up to four allied health assessment services with a referral from a consultant Paediatrician or Psychiatrist for the purpose of assisting the Doctor with their diagnosis of the child; or  for the purpose of contributing to the child's treatment plan, developed by the Doctor.

 

Treatment Services: Can be provided if the child has previously been provided with a treatment plan by a consultant Paediatrician or Psychiatrist.

 

3) Better Start for Children with a Disability Initiative. This is available for children under the age of 15 with any of the following diabilities: Sight Imparment, Hearing Impairment, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome. The referral must be made by a specialist or consultant physician or GP from an eligible Medicare Service.

 

Assessment Services: You can access a rebate for up to four allied health assessment services contributing to the development of a treatment plan for a child up to 13 years of age. 

 

Treatment Services: Can be provided for up to 20 treatment services for eligible children up to 15 years of age.

 

4) National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): This is available to people who's application to NDIS has been successful. Lindy is an NDIS provider. Please contact me for further details.

To access a rebate

 

1) Visit your GP/Paediatrician/Psychiatrist and discuss the reasons you desire to attend sessions with a Psychologist. The GP will conduct a mental health assessment. He/she will prepare a mental Health Treatment Plan before referring you to a Psychologist.

 

2) Bring your referral along to your appointment, or email it through to the Psychologist prior to your session.

 

3) The Psychologist will provide you with a receipt stating the referring Doctors name, provider number, date of consultation, item number to be claimed, and both the Psychologists  and person attending the appointment’s name.

 

4) Send in, or take this receipt to Medicare to receive a rebate of $83.25

See http://www.psychology.org.au/medicare/fact_sheet/ for more details

 

 

Private Health

 

Check with your private health fund to determine if Psychology is included In your extras benefits.