The fee schedule for 2012 is as follows (for a 55 minute appointment):
$130 - In rooms at Mitcham
If you have a current Mental Health Care Plan from the GP, there is a Medicare rebate available of $83.25 which means your out of pocket cost for the appointment will be $46.75.
$155 - School or Home visit
If you have a current Mental Health Care Plan from the GP, there is a Medicare rebate available of $104.50 which means your out of pocket cost for the appointment will be $50.50.
Automated Payments and Medicare Rebates
For sessions which are part of a Mental Health Care Plan, I have an automated payment method available that will charge the full fee to your credit card on the day of your appointment, and deposit your Medicare rebate into a nominated account the following day. If you would prefer to pay by cash, eftpos, cheque or direct deposit, these options are also available, and your Medicare rebate can be deposited automatically once your payment has cleared. Alternatively, you can take your receipt to Medicare to make a claim in person.
How to qualify for Medicare rebates
In order to receive the Medicare rebate on psychology sessions you must first obtain a 'referral letter' and a 'Mental Health Care Plan' from your GP. When making the appointment with the GP, make sure you tell the receptionist that you require a referral to a psychologist for your child as this may require them to book a longer session.
How to claim using your Private Health Cover
Rebates are available from most private health funds of about $44 - $130 per session. It's important to consult your Private Health Cover policy or call them to determine the rebates available to you. However, you cannot usually claim a Medicare rebate and a Private Health Fund rebate on the same appointment so many families choose to use up the number of Medicare sessions available for a calendar year (up to 10 sessions) and then use their private cover for additional appointments. In order to use your private health cover, you can pay for the session at the time of the appointment, and then take your paid receipt to your health fund for your rebate.