Medicare Referrals

Clients are not required  to have a referral to see a psychologist or dietitian. However, Medicare rebates are available for eligible clients with a valid referral from a medical professional (GP/Psychiatrist/Paediatrician), and support attendance both in-person and via telehealth. All our clinicians are able to offer rebates under Medicare according to their qualification.

To be assessed for eligibility, you will need to see your referring doctor before your first appointment, in order to determine whether a referral is appropriate and which plan (Eating Disorder Plan, Mental Health Care Plan, or Chronic Disease Management Plan) best fits your needs. If assessed to be eligible, a copy of the referral letter from your doctor and, where possible, the plan you have been referred under, will need to be sent to Admin three days before your initial appointment.

Receiving your referral and plan before your session allows our clinicians to ensure their validity and to ensure your billing is correct on the day of your appointment. If we do not receive a copy of your referral and plan in advance of your initial session, please be aware that while the session may proceed, if the referral is not valid, the rebate may not apply and you will be responsible for the full session fee. If you are having difficulty seeing your referring doctor to arrange your referral ahead of your initial session, please contact us to discuss your options.

Please see the expandable sections below for information about the different Medicare treatment plans available: 

GP Medical Review

If you are attending for the treatment of disordered eating or an eating disorder (ED), it is a requirement of seeking therapy in an outpatient, private practice setting, that you are medically stable. Whether attending under a Medicare referral or not, you will need to see your GP for medical review before your initial session. It is typical for the GP to undertake blood tests and an ECG, a measure of heart health, to ensure medical stability and healthy heart function. Please bring the results of any blood tests or other investigations with you to the session or send them to us via email in advance of your first session. Your GP is welcome to contact us with any queries about the relevant medical investigations. Your clinician and your GP will provide support around next steps if you are assessed not to be medically stable.

To develop your plan, your doctor needs additional time; it is important to let their receptionist know you are attending for the development of a MHCP or EDP, so an appropriate appointment can be booked. The referral provided by your doctor will need to state:

• The name of the practice or clinician you have been referred to;
• Which plan you have been referred under;
• The number of sessions you have been referred for;
• The condition you are seeking treatment for.

As above, you will need to send the doctor’s letter of referral, and a copy of the plan if you have it,  to our Admin team 3 days before your first session. 

When referred under a plan you will be referred for a limited number of sessions, and will need to see your GP for a review once those sessions have been completed. We typically provide reminders when you are nearing review on your plan. However, your eligibility to claim a rebate under Medicare remains your responsibility.  As such, we encourage clients to use the information provided on your receipts to keep a record of your attendance and plan expiry. If you’re uncertain, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

For anyone electing to attend sessions privately, (i.e. not under Medicare), you will not need to provide a referral to see a clinician.

We offer sessions both in-person and via telehealth where indicated, but encourage in-person attendance where possible.

Psychology:
Individual sessions run for 50-55 minutes; initial and extended length sessions run for 80-85 minutes; family sessions run for 60 and 90 minutes respectively.

If you are attending on behalf of a child or young person, it is typical that everyone living in the family home will need to attend.

Dietetics:
Standard sessions with our dietitian are 45 minutes long; initial sessions are 60 minutes long.

Our fees are payable at the time of your session via credit card; you will need to ensure there are sufficient funds available. Those wishing to avoid the card processing fees are able to elect to pay online via EFT. To take up this option and ensure timely payment, payment via EFT is due prior to and must be received in advance of your session.

The cost of sessions will differ depending on which clinician you see and the length and purpose of your appointment. Please talk with our friendly admin staff about current fees.

Please note that we are not a bulk billing practice and there is a gap between the fee and the Medicare or Private Health Fund rebate.  

Once paid in full, and if you have been assessed to be eligible for a rebate, we will submit your rebate to Medicare on your behalf. Once approved, it will be paid directly into your nominated bank account, typically within 48hrs.

Many private health funds offer limited cover for psychological treatment, based on the level of your cover. Please contact your private health fund for further information on the level of support they offer.  

However, it is important to be aware clients are not able to claim a rebate from both Medicare and a private health fund for the same session.

A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required for cancellations; otherwise, the full fee will apply. We typically provide appointment reminders, but technology is imperfect, and attendance and cancellations remain your responsibility. While we understand that cancellations often arise due to unforeseen circumstances, the reason for the cancellation does not have bearing on the cancellation fee and the requirement for a period of 24 hours’ notice of cancellations.

This policy is in place because your clinician has already invested time in preparing for your session, and without sufficient notice, it is unlikely that we can fill your appointment to cover our costs and your clinician’s income. Although we have a waitlist for services, those on the waitlist are typically looking for ongoing appointments rather than one off appointments, making it challenging to fill appointments at short notice.

Please note that Medicare and Private Health Funds do not cover cancellation fees.

If you are unable to attend your appointment in-person, we encourage you to consider an alternative arrangement such as doing the appointment via another format (e.g., telehealth) or having another person involved in your care attend the appointment in your place (e.g., parent, partner, support person), to avoid being charged the cancellation fee.

Appointments and cancellations should be made via telephone or email directly to our admin team.