The Mental Health Care Plan is the main way Australians access subsidised psychological treatment, and the process is more straightforward than it sounds. Here is what it is, how to get one, and what it does and does not cover.
What a Mental Health Care Plan is
A Mental Health Care Plan is a document prepared by your GP that sets out your mental health concerns, your treatment goals, and the support recommended. Once it is in place, it entitles you to Medicare rebates for a set number of sessions with a registered psychologist or other eligible mental health professional each calendar year.
It is not a diagnosis in itself, and it is not a permanent record of anything alarming. It is an administrative mechanism for accessing subsidised care.
How to get one
Book an appointment with your GP and ask specifically for a mental health care plan appointment. This matters, because a standard consultation does not allow enough time. These plans take somewhere between twenty and forty minutes to complete properly, so a long appointment is needed.
During the appointment your GP will ask about what you have been experiencing, how long it has been going on, and how it is affecting your life. They will typically use a short standardised questionnaire. Together you will identify goals and agree on the recommended treatment.
You will leave with the plan itself and a referral letter, and both need to be provided to your psychologist before your first session for the rebate to be processed. Your GP may recommend a particular psychologist, but you are free to choose your own, and you can ask for the referral to be addressed accordingly.
How the sessions work
A Mental Health Care Plan provides rebates for up to ten individual sessions per calendar year. The structure catches people out, so it is worth being clear:
- Your GP initially refers you for six sessions
- After those six, you return to your GP for a brief review appointment
- The GP can then refer you for a further four sessions, up to ten in total
- The allocation resets on 1 January each calendar year, not on the anniversary of your plan
The review appointment is not a formality to resent. It is a genuine opportunity for your GP to check how things are going and to adjust the plan if needed. Missing it is the most common reason people find their rebates unexpectedly stop.
What you will actually pay
Medicare pays a set rebate per session. As of 1 July 2026, the rebate for a session with a generally registered psychologist is $101.55, with a higher rebate for clinically endorsed psychologists.
The rebate is fixed, but practice fees are not, so your out-of-pocket cost is simply the difference between the two. This gap varies considerably between practices. At Sage Psychological Services the standard fee is $180, which leaves a gap of $78.45 per session. Full detail is on our fees and rebates page.
Most practices process the Medicare claim on your behalf after each session, with the rebate arriving in your nominated account within a couple of days. You pay the full fee at the time and receive the rebate back, rather than paying only the gap.
Questions people commonly ask
Does it go on my permanent medical record?
It becomes part of your GP records, as any consultation does. It is not shared with employers, insurers, or anyone else without your consent. If you have specific concerns about disclosure, particularly around income protection or life insurance, it is worth raising them directly with your GP before the plan is prepared.
Can I use it for telehealth?
Yes. Telehealth sessions attract the same rebates as in-person appointments, which makes consistent therapy considerably more accessible for people outside metropolitan areas.
What happens after ten sessions?
You can continue privately, pause until the following calendar year when the allocation resets, or discuss other options with your GP. Ten sessions is a funding limit rather than a clinical recommendation, and many people need fewer while some need more.
Do I have to have one?
No. You can see a psychologist privately without any referral at all, paying the full fee. Some people prefer this for privacy reasons or simply to avoid the extra GP appointment.
Can I claim Medicare and private health insurance for the same session?
No. You can use one or the other for a given session, but not both. It is worth comparing which leaves you better off based on your level of cover.
Getting started
If you already have a plan and referral, you can book an appointment straight away. If you do not, your GP is the place to start, and you are welcome to get in touch first with any questions about how it works at Sage.
