FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Referral?
You do not need a referral to see a clinical psychologist. However, if you wish to claim for a Medicare rebated session, then you will need a Mental Health Plan set-up by your doctor, and an appropriate referral letter from your doctor to the clinical psychologist. Alternatively, you can be referred by a psychiatrist and be eligible for Medicare rebates. Finally, you do not need a referral if you wish to claim the cost of a session via private health insurance.
Fees

Contact Mark for further information on session fees.

Clinical psychology consultation services are exempt from GST. However, cancellation fees and some forms of ancillary work (e.g., certain types of report writing or correspondence) may not be exempt from GST.  All consultations are for 50 minutes. Longer consultations are available and incur a higher fee. Payment is required via cash, cheque or eftpos/credit card at the time of the consultation. Please visit my fees and rebate page for more information.

How much is the Medicare rebate?

For clinical psychology sessions the Medicare rebate since 2022 has been $136. This value may increase further at some stage, although the amount will obviously depend on Government policy settings. Check with medicare for the latest rebate amount. However, as mentioned above you will need either a Mental Health Plan set-up by your doctor, or a referral letter from a psychiatrist to be eligible for Medicare rebated sessions.

How many sessions can I claim under Medicare?

You can only claim a maximum of 10 therapy sessions per calendar year. The doctor may initially approve up to 6 sessions (or less), and a further 4 sessions can be approved if they think is is appropriate. Again, a letter is required from your doctor approving further sessions.

Can I claim sessions though private health insurance?
Yes you can claim for a rebate via private health insurance if you have a policy, however you cannot claim both a Medicare rebate and private health for the same therapy session. Rather, once you have used up your 10 Medicare sessions, you can then claim further therapy sessions under your insurance scheme. Alternatively, if you self-refer you can claim sessions under your private health policy if the policy provides rebates for clinical psychology. The amount of rebate available from private health will depend on your insurance policy. Check with your health fund.
Confidentiality
All information and records regarding you are kept strictly confidential. I will not release any information about you to anyone except with your authority. There are, however, circumstance in which I am obliged to release information. If you are referred by a Medical Practitioner then I am required to provide an initial report, and regular progress reports. This report is a professional courtesy to the referring doctor or agency and helps in providing an integrated service to you.

In an emergency that involves your safety or the safety of others, I may be legally required to contact other agencies. In addition, Courts can subpoena psychologist’s records. For more details about confidentiality you can ask me at our first consultation.