Medicare rebates for psychology.
Medicare rebates for psychology make seeing a psychologist more affordable, and they apply to online sessions just as they do in person. If you are dealing with a mental health concern, you may be able to claim a rebate through the Better Access initiative. Here is exactly how it works.
Here is exactly how it works
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Step one, see your GP.
Book a longer appointment with your GP and tell them you would like a mental health treatment plan. If it is right for you, your GP will prepare the plan and give you a referral to a psychologist. A psychiatrist or paediatrician can also refer you.
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Step two, book with us.
Bring your referral and plan to your booking. You can also book first and have your referral ready for your session. You do not have to wait for the referral to get started, since you can begin privately and arrange the plan with your GP afterwards.
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Step three, claim your rebate.
You pay the session fee, and Medicare rebates part of it. For a registered psychologist, the rebate is $101.55 per eligible session, which leaves about $143.45 out of pocket on a $245 session. Your invoice shows your psychologist's provider number so you can claim from Medicare, usually in a day or two.
How many sessions Medicare covers.
- Individual sessions per calendar year
- up to 10
- Sessions on your first referral, usually
- up to 6
Better Access covers up to ten individual sessions per calendar year.
Your first referral usually covers up to six sessions, and then your GP reviews how you are going before the remaining sessions. Your psychologist will also send a brief report to your GP, as the program requires.
Good to know.
- You do not need a referral to start, and many people book privately first.
- A rebate applies to individual sessions, not to couples counselling.
- A standard initial consultation ($245) attracts the rebate. The ADHD and cognitive assessment packages are generally not covered by a Medicare rebate.
- NDIS participants pay $252.99 per session with no gap, and WorkCover and TAC are accepted.
- Each psychologist bills under their own Medicare provider number.
- The rebate is a part-payment, not the full fee, so there is a gap to pay.
- These figures are current as at 1 July 2026 and are reviewed each July.
- Our psychologists are registered psychologists, and the rebate for a session is $101.55.
You do not need a referral to start.