To refer to PsychologyCare, all the information needed can be found at this link.

For information about Medicare and Psychology Services please read this helpful guide:

Medicare services provided under the Better Access Initiative can seem extremely complex and often both psychologists and GPs can get confused. As this is the case I thought it would be sensible to attempt to provide a simplistic guide to the process:

• Clinical Psychologists registered with Medicare Australia are able to provide Medicare rebateable Psychological Therapy Services to eligible patients.
• Eligible patients are those with an assessed Mental Disorder who a GP is managing under a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan (item 2700, 2701, 2715 or 2717) or under a referred psychiatrist assessment and management plan (item 291).
• There is no specific referral form. A letter or note to an eligible psychologist that is signed and dated by the GP along with the completed Mental Health Treatment Plan is all that is required.
• Each patient is allowed up to 10 rebateable individual sessions of psychological therapy every calendar year as well as 10 group therapy sessions if needed.
• Every calendar year means for example from 1st January 2013 – December 31st 2013, a patient is allowed 10 rebateable sessions. It does not mean from the date of the Mental Health Treatment Plan. For example if a patient received a treatment plan in June 2013, and completed 10 sessions by November 1st 2013. This means they would not be allowed more rebateable sessions between November 1st – December 31st 2013. However, from January 1st 2014 they would be entitled to 10 more rebateable sessions despite the fact their Mental Health Treatment Plan was only done in June 2013. Furthermore, they would not need another Mental Health Treatment Plan from their GP, just a review and another letter of referral sent to the psychologist.
• After 6 sessions, the psychologist is required to write a brief psychological report to the GP. The patient must attend the GP for a review, in order to access the other 4 rebateable sessions.
• At the end of treatment a written report must also be provided to the referring medical practitioner.
• Patients who require Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Medicare items continue to be able to access the services under this umbrella.
• Fact Sheets for GPs can be found at the following link: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/pacd-gp-mental-health-care-pdf-factsheet
• Frequently asked questions regarding above information can be found at the following link: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/health-pcd-programs-amhpm-pdf-QAs