A Mental Health Treatment Plan, previously known as a Mental Health Care Plan, is a plan for people who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, which helps them to access mental health services.
There is a range of clinically diagnosable disorders that significantly impact a person’s emotions, thoughts, social skills and decision-making, that qualify you for a Mental Health Treatment Plan.
The Mental Health Treatment Plan is part of the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners initiative from the Medicare Benefits Schedule. The Better Access Scheme provides assistance to people living with mental health problems by allowing greater access to affordable mental healthcare. The initiative works to improve treatment and management for those with mild to moderate mental health conditions where short-term, evidence-based interventions are most likely to be useful.
The Mental Health Treatment Plan identifies what type of health care you need, and communicates to practitioners or local mental health services involved in your care the goals you and your doctor are aiming to achieve.
If your GP advises that you do not qualify for a Mental Health Treatment Plan (which is uncommon), you may still be eligible for alternative support to see a Psychologist or Clinical Psychologist through a Chronic Disease Management Plan (previously known as an EPC).
To organise an Mental Health Treatment Plan, you must have a mental health disorder diagnosis by your doctor. If you have been diagnosed, your doctor is able to prepare a treatment plan for you. This will involve a visit to your doctor, who will ask you a few questions and fill in the plan with you as you set some goals for treatment. When making this appointment, ask if a long appointment is required as sometimes a standard appointment does not provide sufficient time.
Once the GP has completed this plan, it will be sent to the nominated Psychologist or Mental Health practitioners and you will have access to the rebates following your visits with them.
At Move for Better Health, you can use your Mental Health Treatment Plan to see a Clinical Psychologist from NLC Psychology. Your appointments can be either face to face at either our Malvern or Magill location, or alternatively, conducted via telehealth.
At the time of billing, we will request payment in full, and then we will submit your claim to Medicare through our online claiming system. The rebate will be refunded into your nominated bank account within a short time frame (usually within 24 hours).
The rebate you will receive for each visit under a Mental Health Treatment Plan referral is $137.05 with a Clinical Psychologist, or $93.35 for a Psychologist. If you have exceeded the Medicare Safety Net, the rebate is increased to a higher percentage of the total cost of the service (often 80% – 100% of the total cost, depending on the individual circumstances).
Unfortunately you are not able to claim with both Medicare and Private Health Insurance for the same service. However when you have exhausted your allocated Medicare sessions, we can switch to using private health insurance – if you have cover for that allied health discipline – so that you still only need to pay the gap that’s leftover after the rebate has been paid.
To find the exact costs and gaps involved with our services, please contact us to find out more. The costs depend on which type of allied health practitioner you need to see, the type of service you require, and whether you have any government concessions.
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