Our Policies
Fees and Rebates
Medicare clients
Medicare clients are clients who have a current Mental Health Treatment Plan or Chronic Disease Management Plan, and a valid referral from their GP, psychiatrist, or paediatrician, and sessions remaining on their most recent referral. Please note the Mind & Body Psychology does not hold responsibility for your eligibility for a rebate; while we try to help you keep track of your session numbers, we do not have access to your full Medicare record and your use of other services, and expect clients to track their session numbers and contact Medicare if they are in doubt.
There are other types of Medicare referrals too, such as Eating Disorders Management Plan and Non-directive Pregnancy-Related Support. Please contact your GP if you wish to know more about these other Medicare referrals.
We offer on-site processing of your Medicare claims. You may also be eligible for higher Medicare rebates if you meet the threshold for the Medicare Safety Net during the calendar year. You can find out more about the Medicare safety net here.
What are Medicare rebates?
Medicare rebates are designed to make mental health services more affordable to you. Once you have paid the full fee for your session, we can submit a Medicare claim for you. Medicare will check that you have sessions remaining on your referral and then provide you with your rebate (money back) by transferring it directly to your bank account; please ensure Medicare have your current bank details.
How much are the Medicare rebates?
As of 1 July 2023, the Medicare rebate you receive for Mental Health Treatment Plan sessions depends on whether you see a clinical psychologist ($136.35 per 50min session) or psychologist ($92.90 per 50min session).
Clinical psychologists have 6+ years of university training, which includes specialised training and endorsement in the area of clinical psychology.
Non-clinical Psychologists, like those at Mind & Body Psychology, can also have 6+ years of university training, which can include extra specialised training and endorsement in areas important to Medicare clients, too, such as counselling psychology, health psychology, or educational and developmental psychology. Essentially, your non-clinical psychologist may be very qualified and experienced in delivering psychological therapy to private practice clients, which is the case with all of our non-clinical psychologists at Mind & Body Psychology. The difference in rebates was determined by Medicare and has attracted much debate; for this reason, several psychologist professional associations have petitioned for the rebates to be equalised.
Rebates also differ for other types of Medicare referrals. Please contact Medicare, our reception staff, or your psychologist to learn more.
Private clients
If you are not on a current mental health treatment plan, you can continue to pay as a private client and claim session rebates through your private healthcare fund, if eligible. Please contact your private health insurer to check your eligibility. Some funds cover the entire session fee, while some funds provide part- or limited-coverage. We can process your private health fund rebates on-site.
interested in a mental health treatment plan?
Please see your GP, psychiatrist, or paediatrician to learn more. Your doctor will assess suitability and treatment options with you, such as mental health treatment plans, non-directive pregnancy-related counselling, and enhanced primary care programs (for chronic health conditions), all of which can attract Medicare rebates.
Your doctor can also consider referring you to a Psychological Therapies Program (Brisbane North area and Brisbane South area), which are government-subsidised psychology sessions managed through your local primary health network. These programs are often low-cost or sometimes free, and reserved for people who are vulnerable and at risk.
Do you have any further questions?
Please feel free to discuss further with your psychologist.
Appointment cancellation and non-attendance
The Australian Psychological Society recommends psychologists charge cancellation and non-attendance fees to promote client attendance and cover running costs. Cancellation fees also help us reduce waiting lists and ensure those most in need of appointments can access mental health services sooner. If we are able to fill your cancelled appointment, you will not be charged a cancellation fee; earlier notification of your cancellation gives us a greater chance of achieving this.
Late cancellations: “late cancellations” are appointments that are cancelled between 24 hours and 2 hours of the appointment. If you cancel with between 24 hours and 2 hours’ notice, and we are unable to fill your appointment, a fee may be applied. Fees increase with continued late cancellations and non-attendance (see below in Cancellation and Non-attendance Fees). Unlike your session fees, these fees cannot be claimed through your private health fund or Medicare and they also attract a GST.
Non-attendance: a “non-attendance” has occurred when you cancel with less than 2 hours before your appointment and/or you do not show for your appointment. We cannot fill appointments at such late notice; clients can find it difficult to organise their lives at such short notice, and psychologists require time to prepare for sessions, plan interventions, access resources, read referrals and other forms, and consider new referrals.
Cancellation and Non-Attendance Fees*
First late cancellation (24hrs-2hrs notice): 1/4 of your usual session fee (plus GST)
Second late cancellation (24hrs-2hrs notice): 1/2 of your usual session fee (plus GST)
Third and subsequent late cancellation (24hrs-2hrs notice): your full usual session fee (plus GST)
Non-attendance (2hrs-0hrs notice): your full usual session fee (plus GST).
* Application of a fee is always at the discretion of the psychologist.
*Late cancellation and non-attendance fees will only be charged if the appointment is not filled by another client.
The Australian Psychological Society (APS) recommends a stricter schedule of fees, e.g., the full fee for less than 24 hours’ notice; 50% of the fee for 48-24 hours’ notice. We have chosen a more lenient cancellation policy that allows for compassion and understanding but also encourages attendance and early notification of cancelled appointments.
If you have any questions about the policy, please do not hesitate to ask.
We require your agreement to this policy before we can provide a service to you. Your agreement on the intake form and your ongoing booking of appointments are taken as your agreement to this policy.
APS Charter for Clients
At Mind & Body Psychology, we take the Charter for Clients of APS Psychologists seriously. We want you to be aware of the standards you should expect from your psychologist and for you to let us know if you have any feedback on the service you are receiving, so we can improve the service for you — and future clients.
The charter covers concepts such as clear explanations of fees, confidentiality, and informed consent. You can view the charter here.
