BMD Psychology Consulting psychologists have Medicare provider status, as and we have a range of fee options and affiliations with a number of organisations and agencies that may be able to assist you with subsidised therapy (e.g., various government agencies and private health insurance providers). Click on the links on the right side of your screen for more information.

You do not need a referral from a GP to see a psychologist at BMD Psychology Consulting unless you want to claim a Medicare or other rebate.  For BMD Psychology Consulting session rates see here.

For more information about Medicare Rebates for psychological services, please click here for the Australian Psychological Society Medicare Fact Sheet.

Note that you cannot combine a Medicare rebate with a private health insurance rebate.

Medicare rebates (up to 10 in a calendar year) are available for psychological treatment by registered psychologists under the Australian Government’s Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative and through this you can recover up to 70% of your therapy costs. 

This scheme provides considerable financial assistance to people living with mental health problems, allowing them greater access to psychologists and providing more affordable mental healthcare.

BMD Psychology Consulting is registered to provide services under this initiative.

The Medicare rebate for a standard 55 minute clinical psychologist therapy session is currently $124.50.  

The Medicare rebate for a standard 55 minute registered psychologist therapy session is currently $84.80. 

BMD Psychology Consulting's fee structure is such that the gap between the medicare rebate and the session fee is the same regardless of whether you see a clinical or a registered psychologist at BMD.

'Mental disorder' is a term used to describe a range of clinically diagnosable disorders that significantly impact on a person's emotions, thoughts, social skills and decision-making.

The Better Access initiative covers people with mental disorders arising from specified conditions as outlined below.

NOTE:  clients presenting with an issue not specified by the Better Access initiative can most likely instead claim a rebate for accessing psychological counselling/therapy via their private health insurance. 

Clients can of course always choose to attend counselling/therapy as a fee paying client (without accessing any Medicare or other rebates). 

For information about BMD Psychology Consulting session fees please see here).

Specified disorders covered by the Better Access initiative (and therefore Medicare rebates) include:

To access the Medicare Rebate, you need your GP or psychiatrist to complete a detailed mental health assessment and prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan before referring you to a psychologist.  

You need to have the Mental Health Treatment Plan in place before your first therapy session. 

If you are an individual referred to therapy by your GP, you will be eligible to receive a rebate for 10 sessions of therapy in any one current calendar year (between January and December). 

It is important that, when you book in with your GP to discuss the Mental Health Treatment Plan and to request a referral to a psychologist, you advise the receptionist of your reason for the appointment with the GP. 

The receptionist will need to book you in for a double (30 minute) session in order for the GP to have enough time to complete the plan with you.

You may be referred to BMD Psychology Consulting under other referral source options, including the below. 

Clients who are referred under Victims of Crime, DVA/VVCS, Worksafe, TAC and EAP will usually have at least a number of therapy sessions reimbursed or covered in full.

You may be referred as a result of:

Being a victim of crime under the Victims Referral and Assistance Service (VRAS) scheme (contact Victims Support Agency on 1800 819 817 for further information OR the Victims Assistance and Counsellling Program VACP and see website link on the right)

Suffering a work-related injury or illness (contact your GP and/or employer to discuss access to therapy under WorkCover options, also see WorkSafe website link on the right)

Sustaining an injury in a transport accident (contact your GP and/or the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) for more information and see website link on the right)
 

You may also be referred through and/or rebated by:

Private health insurance (speak to your health fund provider about your eligibility)

Your workplace (contact your human resources department or speak to your manager)

The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans / Veterans Families Counselling Service (speak to a DVA or VVCS worker and/or your GP and also see website links on the right)