From the 1st November 2006, the new Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative will allow people with a diagnosed mental disorder to access psychology services through Medicare. For information, download the Australian Psychological Society Medicare factsheet.

Patients will need to be referred by a GP in the context of a GP Mental Health Care Plan, or by a psychiatrist or paediatrician.

For patients to be eligible for rebates from Medicare, they must have a clinically diagnosable disorder that significantly affects their cognitive, emotional or social abilities. These can include:
 Chronic and acute psychotic disorders
 Schizophrenia
 Bipolar disorder
 Phobic disorders
 Generalised anxiety disorder
 Adjustment disorder
 Unexplained somatic complaints
 Depression
 Sexual disorders
 Conduct disorder
 Bereavement disorders
 Post-traumatic stress disorder
 Eating disorders
 Panic disorder
 Alcohol use disorders
 Drug use disorders
 Mixed anxiety and depression
 Dissociative (conversion) disorder
 Neurasthenia
 Sleep problems
 Hyperkinetic (attention deficit) disorder
 Enuresis (non-organic)
 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
 Mental disorder, not otherwise specified (sourced from www.health.gov.au)

Medicare will rebate up to 12 sessions per year. For clinical psychologists, patients will receive a $112.45 rebate for a one hour session. Patients seeing an approved registered psychologist will receive a $77.45 rebate for a one hour session.

Patients will be required to pay our full fee upfront on the day of consultation and then take their invoice to Medicare to claim the rebate.