You can access Medicare Rebates for telehealth/ online psychology appointments if you are eligible for a:
01. Mental Health Treatment Plan OR
02. Eating Disorder Plan OR
03. Have been affected by the Australian Bushfires?
Online sessions allow you to access therapy anywhere, anytime. We offer secure video counselling consultations with highly qualified and skilled psychologists.
Telehealth refers to a videoconference consultation or video call involving communication between you and your psychologist using both a video and audio connection. This is similar to connecting with family or friends using programs such as FaceTime or Skype.
However, we use a safe and secure video platform that is HIPAA compliant. HIPAA(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
1996) is a United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.
You can get Medicare benefits for up to 10 psychology treatment services if
• you or your family have been impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires OR
• you’re a first responder or emergency management employee or volunteer who worked during the 2019-20 bushfires.
You don’t need to have a diagnosed mental health condition, GP referral or mental health treatment plan. All you need to do is book an
appointment.
These session are in addition to the 10 psychological therapy sessions available under the existing Better Access Program. So if you have
previously seen a psychologist under a Mental Health Treatment Plan you will be able to access a further 10 sessions.
Under the Better Access Program you can receive rebates for up to 10 online psychology sessions. To be eligible to receive Better Access Telehealth services under Medicare for a mental health condition, you must:
In some cases, it may not be appropriate to receive psychological treatment by telehealth; your referring doctor and/or mental health professional will discuss this with you.
The Australian Psychological Society provide a helpful overview of the Better Access Initiative and addresses frequently asked questions
about mental health care plans. For more information please click
here.
You can also find information on the Australian Governments Website here.
If you have an eating disorder and meet certain criteria you may be eligible for telehealth services under an eating disorder plan. Clients referred under an eating disorder plan are able to access up to 40 online psychology sessions and 20 online dietetic sessions.
You may be able to access this service if you have a clinical diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa OR have a clinical diagnosis of bulimia
nervosa, binge eating disorder or other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) and meet a number of other eligibility criteria.
To find out if you are eligible you will need to attend an appointment with your GP for an assessment.
If you have a referral from a GP. Paediatrician or psychiatrist for a Mental Health Treatment Plan or an Eating Disorder Plan or do not have a referral but have been affected by the Australian bushfires you will be eligible to receive a Medicare rebate of $128.40 (for a clinical psychologist) and $87.45 (for a general psychologist) per individual session for up to 20 sessions per calendar year.
You will also be eligible for a rebate for 10 group workshops per calendar year. For groups run by a clinical psychologist the rebate
is $32.15 and for groups run by a general psychologist the rebate is $22.00.
You will need to complete a review with a GP to determine if further online treatment is necessary every 6 sessions under a Mental
health Care Plan and 10 sessions under an Eating Disorder Plan.
You will need to make an appointment with your GP who will assess whether you are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan or Eating Disorder Plan for telehealth services. Please note it is important that you tell the medical practice that you are booking an appointment for this reason, so they can book an extended appointment time to enable your GP to have enough time to complete the plan. Otherwise you may attend the appointment and your GP may require a further session to complete the assessment.
To be able to claim the Medicare rebate for your session you will need to email or fax a copy of your Mental Health Treatment Plan
before your appointment at Stirling Connections.
2021 © Stirling Connections | Privacy Policy