Medicare & bulk billing
How to get a mental health treatment plan in Australia
6 min readPublished by Someone Health
Getting support for your mental health simply starts with a conversation, and not a mountain of administrative work. We will walk you through exactly what a mental health treatment plan is, who can get one, and the steps between booking a General Practitioner (GP) appointment and seeing a psychologist under Medicare. Once you have your plan, choosing a bulk billing provider like Someone.health means your subsidised sessions cost you nothing out of pocket.
What is a mental health treatment plan?
A mental health plan, officially called a mental health treatment plan and still commonly referred to as a mental health care plan, is a document your GP prepares to support you through a period of mental health challenges. It records what you’re experiencing, sets out treatment goals, and is used to refer you to the right professional.
A mental health treatment plan’s main purpose, from Medicare’s perspective, is practical. For the GP referral pathway, the plan supports access to Medicare rebates for psychology or allied mental health appointments. Eligible patients can also access Better Access services through a psychiatrist assessment and management plan or a direct referral from a psychiatrist or paediatrician. With an eligible referral, you can access subsidised sessions with a psychologist, accredited social worker, or other eligible mental health professional. Additionally, if that service provides bulk-billing, the sessions are at no out-of-pocket cost to you.
Who is eligible for a mental health treatment plan?
Your GP assesses whether a Medicare-rebatable mental health treatment plan is appropriate for you. Eligibility generally requires that you:
- Hold a valid Medicare card.
- Have a mental health condition diagnosed by your GP that requires at least moderate care support.
- Would benefit from a structured course of treatment.
Plans are available for a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, adjustment difficulties following a major life event and more. You don’t necessarily need a long-standing mental health diagnosis to qualify. Many people start the process simply because they are not feeling themselves, and wish to seek professional support.
Step-by-step: how to obtain a mental health treatment plan
Book an appointment with your GP
When booking, let the clinic know that you would like to discuss obtaining a mental health treatment plan, as they may recommend a longer appointment time.
Discuss your concerns openly
The more your GP understands about what you’re going through, the more useful your plan will be.
Your GP assesses your situation
This includes your symptoms, how long they’ve lasted, and how they’re affecting your day-to-day life.
Your GP develops your plan
Your GP prepares a mental health care plan, outlining your treatment goals and recommended support.
You receive a referral
Your GP refers you to a psychologist, accredited social worker, or other mental health professional, giving you access to Medicare-subsidised sessions, generally up to 10 per calendar year.
What happens during a GP consult?
Expect your GP to ask you about your current symptoms, how long you’ve had them, and any relevant medical history. They’ll assess your mental health, discuss appropriate treatment, and set some initial goals with you. By the end of the appointment, your GP will typically complete your mental health treatment plan and provide you with a referral letter, often sent electronically.
How many sessions can you get with a mental health treatment plan?
Under Medicare’s Better Access initiative, a mental health care plan gives you access for up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year. Your first referral can cover up to 6 sessions. Follow the number stated in your referral letter; you need a new referral for each further course, up to the annual limit. Beyond 10, extra sessions aren’t Medicare-subsidised in the same year, though your GP can discuss other options if you need ongoing support.
The rebate itself only covers part of the cost unless your psychologist bulk bills. Someone.health offers bulk-billed psychology appointments to eligible Medicare clients with participating psychologists, subject to eligibility and availability.
What services can you access with a mental health treatment plan?
A mental health treatment plan can refer you to a range of professionals, including:
- Psychologists, for therapy addressing conditions like anxiety, depression, and stress.
- Accredited mental health social workers, who provide counselling and practical support.
- Occupational therapists with mental health training, who focus on functional and daily living support.
These services are available both face-to-face and via telehealth. Someone.health operates entirely online, so you can see a psychologist by secure video call from home, without needing to find an available clinic near your location.
How to use your mental health treatment plan
Once you have your referral letter, take it (or have your GP send it electronically) to your chosen provider. With Someone.health, add your Medicare details, referral letter and mental health treatment plan to the intake form when booking, and your appointment is automatically set up as bulk-billed. You have the option to upload your mental health treatment plan (MHTP), if you already have it, or upload it at a later time before your scheduled appointment.
For your first session, have a general idea of what you’d like to work on and your chosen mental health professional will guide you along the way. Your first session is primarily an introductory assessment where your psychologist gets to know you, understands what brought you in, and outlines how they can support you. From there, book the sessions covered by your referral as you and your psychologist agree. Once you have used the number stated in your referral, return to your GP for a new referral if you need another course.
Reviewing and renewing your mental health treatment plan
When you need another course of treatment, return to your GP to discuss your progress and obtain a new referral. The referral letter sets how many further sessions you can access, up to the annual limit of 10 individual sessions. If that letter doesn’t specify a number, your psychologist can apply their own clinical judgement, but only once they’ve made a documented attempt to confirm it with your GP and had no response.
A mental health treatment plan does not expire. If you require support beyond your 10 sessions, consult your GP about appropriate next steps and other funding options.
Frequently asked questions
Can you change psychologists?
Yes. If your current psychologist isn’t the right fit for you, you can ask your GP for a referral to someone else. With Someone.health, simply browse and book a different AHPRA-registered psychologist from our network.
Are there out-of-pocket costs?
With Someone.health, every session you book with a valid mental health treatment plan and referral is bulk-billed, so eligible clients pay $0. Out-of-pocket, or “gap” fees only come up if you see a psychologist elsewhere who charges above the Medicare rebate, which is why it’s worth checking a provider’s pricing or bulk billing policy before you book.
How do you get more than 10 sessions?
The standard Medicare limit is 10 individual sessions per calendar year. For support beyond that, speak with your GP about other options, such as self-funded sessions, private health extras cover, or other funding pathways like NDIS if relevant.
Does a plan affect your medical record or insurance?
Your mental health treatment plan becomes part of your standard medical record, held privately and confidentially like any other health information. It generally holds no bearing on your private health hospital or extras cover.
Getting a mental health treatment plan is a straightforward process: getting started usually begins with a simple conversation between you and your GP.
Once you have your plan in place, choosing a bulk-billing provider like Someone.health means your sessions cost you nothing out of pocket, delivered via video call wherever is convenient for you.
Ready to use your mental health treatment plan?
Eligible Medicare clients pay $0 out of pocket, with sessions by secure video call from wherever is convenient for you.