Fees and Rebates
Fees
My standard fee for an individual or couple consultation of 50 minutes is $200. The standard fee means
there is an out-of-pocket gap between the rebate you receive from Medicare
or your private health fund (see below). Psychological therapy services are
GST-free if provided to an individual
or therapy group by a registered
private practitioner. Non-therapy services however do incur the
standard GST of 10%; this includes preparation of reports, any attendance
at court, supervision and cancellation fees. Please feel free to discuss fees when you call, or in your first session.
Rebates
There two main sources of rebates – Medicare and private health funds.
Medicare rebates
I am registered with Medicare as a Clinical Psychologist so you will obtain the higher Medicare rebate for psychotherapy sessions. To obtain the Medicare rebate you will need a referral from a Psychiatrist, GP or Paediatrician. GPs will write a “mental health care plan” for psychological services. Currently you can receive
10 sessions per calendar year rebated by Medicare. Ten sessions of psychological therapy is a very limited number of therapy and many people require more than this. So some people start with the Medicare funded sessions and if they need further assistance, they continue sessions with private insurance, if they have it.
Currently the Medicare rebate is as follows:
•Individual adult session 50-60 minutes $126.50
•Individual child / adolescent session 50-60 minutes $126.50
•Couples Session conditions apply to rebate $126.50
Private Health Funds
I am registered with all major private health funds. You only need a standard referral from a medical practitioner to claim rebates, and for HBF to do not need a referral at all to claim from them. Rebates do vary between health funds and may depend on the kind or level of cover you have. It may be wise to check with your health fund what rebate they allow, so you can calculate the gap between my fee and your rebate.
Insurance Work
If you are seeking psychology services connected with insurance claims (e.g. via Work cover, MVA claims and such like) please be aware that approval to see me has to be obtained before you can commence psychotherapy and that you will need to provide documentation that states this. Once approval is in place, consultation fees are sent directly
to the insurance company.
How to pay
Fees are payable in full at the time of your session by EFTPOS or credit card as preferred options, otherwise by cash or cheque. Medicare Easiclaim is provided at reception which allows you to obtain your Medicare rebate immediately, if you wish to do so. Otherwise you pay your full fee at the time of your appointment and claim any rebate you are entitled to afterwards. Cancellation fees (see below) are not rebated by Medicare or any of the private health funds.
Cancellation Policy
There a 50% cancellation fee for a missed session if I receive less than 24 hours notice of a cancellation, or if you simply don’t show up. This means that both you and I carry half of the cost of a late cancellation. If you have some difficulty attending the appointment, please think ahead where possible and change it – I’d rather not have to charge for missed appointments if there is an alternative.
