Primary Care Psychology



Melbourne Psychologist Book an Appointment

Psychology Appointment

 

To book an appointment with a Primary Care Psychologist, please call
(03) 9553-8838. You can call anytime of the day or night, even on weekends, and leave a message with your contact details.

 

Alternatively, please email Primary Care Psychology Email

or use our Online Email Form to request an appointment.

 

Currently there is a three week waiting list for new clients.

For urgent psychological issues please contact the Australian Psychological Society's "Find a Psychologist" service on 1800 333 497.

 

Please note, the bulk-billed home-visit service is available in the South- Eastern suburbs (between Toorak and Sandringham), and our office location is in East Melbourne.

 

Fees and Rebates

 

Psychologists are now eligible to provide Medicare funded services to patients who have an appropriate referral from a GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician.

 

As part of our mission to provide clinical psychology services to all members of the community, Primary Care Psychology bulk-bills our home and office visit services, so that patients do not have to pay any fees while funded by Medicare.

 

Due to room rental fees, patients who wish to be seen by a psychologist at a medical or private clinic will usually have to pay fees in excess of the bulk-billed rate. Room rental rates vary by clinic, but on average patients are out-of-pocket by approximately $25 - $50 per session.

 

 

 

Obtaining a Referral for Medicare Rebates

 

To obtain Medicare rebates for psychological services, you need to have a Mental Health Care Plan from a GP (most common method), or a referral note from a psychiatrist or paediatrician.

 

To obtain a Mental Health Care Plan, please inform your GP in advance that you would like to be assessed for referral to a psychologist. GPs usually need extra time to complete this type of assessment, so it is important you notify your clinic that you may need an extended consultation.

 

Please note that not all psychological issues are covered under the Medicare system, and your GP will advise you on the best course of action for your particular concern.

 

The Medicare claim for the Mental Health Care Plan needs to be submitted prior to your first session with a psychologist. Usually your GP's clinic will do this for you (if they bulk-bill), but if you paid a fee for the GP consultation then you will need to take your receipt to a Medicare office and submit the claim yourself.

 

 

Fee Schedule (with Medicare rebates)
(maximum 12 sessions per year)

 

Home or office visit:

  • $0 (bulk-billed)

 

Psychologist clinic (multiple locations):

  • $30 (Medicare pays the rest for you)

 

 

 

For step-by-step instructions on how to obtain Medicare rebates for consultations with a psychologist, please see our Medicare Rebates information page.

 

 

 

Consultation Fees (without Medicare rebates)

 

Prior to November 1, 2006, all patients paid for psychological services without the assistance of Medicare rebates.

 

In some cases Medicare rebates will not be available, for example:


- the patient has already attended 12 Medicare funded psychology sessions but requires longer-term therapy.

 

- the patient requires assistance for a psychological issue that is not covered by the Medicare system. For example, psychologists can assist a great deal with weight-loss and smoking cessation, but these types of programs are not covered by the Medicare system.

 

Please bear in mind that many people pay around $100 per session to see a physiotherapist, chiropractor, remedial masseur, acupuncturist or naturopath.

 

Fee Schedule (without Medicare rebates)

If you have private health insurance you may be able to obtain partial rebates on the fees listed below. Please contact your private health insurer to confirm your entitlements.

 

Home or office visit:

  • $80

 

Psychologist clinic (multiple locations):

  • $110

 

Better Access

  • On November 1, 2006, the Federal Government, in conjunction with the Australian Psychological Society, announced new Mental Health Care items on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). These new items were created to improve access to mental health services provided by psychologists, and so far the response has been overwhelming.

     

    However, an article in The Age (May 7, 2007), entitled "Psychologist Access is a Mind Game", reported that the distribution of access to psychological services is skewed toward more affluent areas. Many psychologists are charging well above the Medicare rebated rate, which hinders access for those with low disposable incomes (i.e., cash in excess of the costs of daily living).

     

    Primary Care Psychology was created to improve access to psychological services to members of the community who have difficulty attending a regular medical clinic, or have difficulty paying standard clinic fees.

     

  • With this goal in mind, we are the first psychology service to offer a fully bulk-billed home-visit service, which can be especially useful for the elderly, those with chronic pain or illness, and patients who would otherwise miss out on professional psychological care.

 

Did you know?

  • The Australian Psychological Society's recommended fee for a 60-minute consultation with a psychologist is $200.

     

    As you can see from our Fee Schedules, Primary Care Psychology sets fees well below the recommended rate. We set the fees at this level to provide access to psychological services to all members of the community.
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