Did you know you may now be eligible to claim a rebate from Medicare if you’re in a rural or remote area and receiving online psychology services?
The Australian Government’s Better Access initiative has recognised recent evidence that shows telehealth consultations (online counselling) can be effective in treating certain mental health challenges. This is great news if you live in an area classified as rural or remote and struggle to attend therapy sessions face to face.
Online psychological treatment maintains the same high level of privacy and confidentiality as face-to-face counselling, and your online therapist is a registered psychologist who also has specific training in providing psychological services online.
If you meet the following criteria, you will be able to claim a Medicare rebate for online counselling:
- You have a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP and live in an area classified as ‘rural and remote’ by the Modified Monash Model used by the Dept of Health. Here’s how to check if your area qualifies:
- Visit the Health Workforce Locator at www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/health-workforce-locator
- Click ‘start now’ at the bottom of the page
- Click ‘search a location’ at the bottom of the page
- Enter your address
- Tick the ‘Modified Monash Model’ box
- Select ‘2019’in the Select a year dropdown box
- Click ‘search location
- If you live in an area identified as being between MM’M Class 4-7, you meet the rural and remote area eligibility.
- You have established both a video and audio link with your psychologist.
- You are not an in-patient at a mental health hospital.
If you meet these criteria, you can claim Medicare rebates for up to 10 online psychological therapy sessions per year. As at January 2023 the rebate is $89.65 per session with a general psychologist, $131.65 per session with a clinical psychologist and $79.05 per session with a social worker. You can find all the psychologists and social workers that Online Psychology and our partner provider, Talked, provide on our booking page.
We offer online counselling to people around Australia with flexible appointments using email, live chat and video conversations. If you feel ready to make change, we can help you develop tools to help manage a range of challenges.
For more information, please contact our partner Talked on hello@talked.com.au for more information