If you’ve been thinking of seeing a psychologist but you’re unsure about where to start or you’re worried about the cost, then you’re not alone. The good news is that, in Australia, there’s a way to access mental health support that’s more affordable, and that starts with a visit to your GP to get a Mental Health Care Plan.
A Mental Health Care Plan, also known in short as MHCP, is a plan that your GP completes with you. This plan allows you to access Medicare rebates for psychology sessions, meaning that you don’t have to cover the full cost of the therapy session on your own. For many people, this makes ongoing mental health support much more accessible. Currently, the MHCP allows you to access up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year, with a brief check in with your GP halfway through (usually before or after your 6th psychology session).
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you ask for help. It’s okay if you’re not sure about what you’re struggling with exactly, or if you don’t have a diagnosis. If you’re feeling stressed, down, anxious, and burnt out, that’s more than enough to get a conversation going with your GP.
The first step is to make an appointment with your GP. It’s a good idea to book a longer consultation or mention that you want to book an appointment for a MHCP, so there’s more time to talk about why you’re seeking help. During the appointment, your GP might ask some questions about how you’ve been feeling, what’s been going on in your life, and how things have been affecting your daily functioning. Sometimes, they’ll also ask you to complete a brief questionnaire to understand your mental state a little better.
If a MHCP is suitable, your GP will put one together for you and provide a referral to a psychologist. If you already have a psychologist in mind, you can definitely request them. Just make sure that you have the psychologist’s name, practice name (if there is one) and their contact details, so your GP can include this in the referral. Otherwise, your GP may suggest someone, or you can take the referral and choose a psychologist that feels like the right fit for you afterwards.
The next step is to book your psychology appointment. When you reach out to a clinic, you can simply let them know that you have a Mental Health Care Plan, and they’ll guide you through anything else they need. From there, you can begin your sessions and start working on whatever’s brought you into therapy.
After your first six sessions, you’ll usually return to your GP for a quick check in. This is nothing to worry about, it’s just a chance to review how things are going and, if appropriate, access the remaining sessions available under your plan. Your GP will give you a new referral, typically asking your psychologist to keep seeing you for another 4 sessions (to make the total of 10 individual sessions per calendar year).
In terms of cost, Medicare provides a rebate for each session, which helps reduce the overall session fee that you have to pay. Depending on the psychologist, there may still be a gap to pay. For example, let’s say that you’re seeing a Clinical Psychologist and their session fee is $260. Medicare offers a rebate of $145.25 for Clinical Psychologists. So, your out of pocket fee will be $260 – $145.25 = $114.75. Some clinics also offer reduced fees or bulk billing in certain situations, so it’s always okay to ask about options if cost is a concern for you.
If you’re still unsure about taking the next step, that’s totally okay. Reaching out for support can feel like a big move, especially if you’ve never done it before. But the process itself is simpler than expected, and it’d be worth speaking to your GP about it.
If you’re based in Melbourne and looking for a psychologist, Nestara Psychology offers Telehealth and in-person sessions Mondays to Saturdays, with after-hours options available. We also offer a lower cost option for students, and are open to discussing other cost options based on your needs. Whether you already have a Mental Health Care Plan or not, you’re more than welcome to reach out to us and book an appointment, and we can guide you on the next steps. We’d be glad to support you in getting started.
Written by Luvena Susanto, Clinical Psychologist