APPOINTMENT TO BOOK FOR THIS SERVICE
Please ignore any gap fee warning displayed when booking. All eligible Mental Health Care Plan consultations at DC Medical Centre are bulk billed. Your practitioner may recommend a longer appointment if needed.
Mental health is an important part of overall wellbeing. At DC Medical Centre, our GPs can assess your mental health concerns, discuss treatment options and, where appropriate, prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan (commonly called a Mental Health Care Plan or MHCP).
A plan sets out your treatment goals and can help you access Medicare rebates for sessions with an eligible psychologist or other mental health professional through the Australian Government's Better Access initiative.
Eligible Mental Health Care Plan consultations at DC Medical Centre are bulk billed. Psychology appointments outside the practice may still involve out-of-pocket fees.
A GP assesses your symptoms, history and treatment needs, including whether you have a clinically diagnosed mental health disorder for which a structured plan is appropriate.
You must meet the relevant Medicare and Better Access requirements to receive rebates. Your GP will confirm eligibility and any applicable referral rules.
Medicare rules generally require the plan to be prepared by your usual medical practitioner or an eligible GP at the appropriate practice, including your registered MyMedicare practice where applicable.
Examples of concerns that may be assessed include anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms and other diagnosed mental health conditions. A diagnosis and treatment plan are determined by your GP, not automatically issued upon request. Read the official Services Australia guide to mental health care and Medicare →
Medicare rebates may be available for up to 10 individual mental health treatment sessions per calendar year, subject to eligibility and valid referrals.
Your GP may refer you for an initial course of up to six sessions. Once the number of sessions stated on your referral has been used, you need a review and a further referral to claim more sessions, up to your remaining calendar-year Medicare entitlement. Using all 10 sessions does not mean you must obtain a new care plan.
There is also a separate Medicare limit of up to 10 eligible group sessions per calendar year. The calendar year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Medicare rebates can cover some or all of a provider's fee depending on their billing arrangements.
A Mental Health Treatment Plan does not automatically expire and is not used up after 10 psychology sessions. You may need a plan review and a new referral when your authorised course of sessions is completed, but not necessarily a new plan. New plans are generally not prepared within 12 months of the previous plan unless exceptional clinical circumstances apply; this is not an absolute 365-day prohibition. The Medicare limit of 10 individual Better Access sessions resets on 1 January each year. View government plan requirements →
Your GP will discuss symptoms, relevant history, any existing treatment, and how your mental health is affecting everyday life.
Where suitable, you and your GP agree on goals, management options, follow-up arrangements and supports.
Your GP may refer you to an eligible psychologist or another appropriate mental health professional for treatment.
Follow-up appointments help assess progress, update treatment goals and arrange additional sessions where clinically appropriate.
A care plan and referral do not guarantee that your psychologist will bulk bill. Please confirm session fees and Medicare rebates directly with their practice.
Your health information is handled confidentially in accordance with applicable privacy obligations. Treatment decisions and referrals are based on your GP's clinical assessment.
Book a consultation with one of our GPs to discuss your needs and whether a Mental Health Treatment Plan is suitable.
Book an Appointment →Your GP will assess whether you have a mental health condition for which a structured treatment plan is clinically appropriate. Eligibility for Medicare rebates also depends on Medicare requirements. See Services Australia for further information.
Yes. DC Medical Centre bulk bills eligible Mental Health Care Plan consultations. If the booking system displays a gap fee warning, you may disregard it for an eligible care plan appointment.
Eligible patients can generally receive Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual Better Access treatment sessions per calendar year across eligible providers. Group services have separate limits. An initial referral commonly covers up to six sessions, with a review needed before additional sessions are referred.
No. Mental Health Treatment Plans do not automatically expire, including at 12 months. They can be updated as your needs change. A new plan is generally not prepared within 12 months of the preceding one unless exceptional circumstances apply; this is not a strict 365-day minimum. Your referral covers a specified number of treatment sessions and may need renewing.
No. Your Medicare entitlement of up to 10 individual sessions resets on 1 January, but your existing Mental Health Treatment Plan does not expire or restart automatically. A new referral or review may be required when a referral course has been completed, rather than a new plan.
Yes, you can discuss your preferred psychologist with your GP. Before booking, check that the psychologist offers Medicare-rebatable services, is accepting new patients and can accept your referral.
Not necessarily. DC Medical Centre bulk bills eligible plan consultations, but psychologists set their own fees. Medicare rebates may cover part of the psychologist's charge, leaving a gap payment. Confirm the cost with the psychologist before attending.
A face-to-face appointment is recommended for an initial assessment at DC Medical Centre. Telehealth eligibility and the appropriateness of remote assessment depend on the type of service, Medicare rules and your practitioner's clinical judgement.
Your GP will discuss your concerns, relevant medical and mental health history, symptoms, wellbeing, treatment goals and suitable care options. Where appropriate, they may prepare a plan and arrange a referral.
If there is immediate danger, call 000 or attend an emergency department. For crisis support in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. A routine care plan appointment is not an emergency service.
No new Mental Health Treatment Plan is automatically required. For example, if you received five eligible sessions last year and five this year, you may still have five Medicare-subsidised individual sessions remaining this calendar year. If you have finished the sessions authorised by your referral, your GP can assess your progress and, where appropriate, provide a further referral under the existing plan.
No. The 10 individual-session annual Medicare limit applies across eligible Better Access providers and referrals, including sessions claimed under an earlier plan. A new plan or referral cannot increase that annual limit. You can generally access further Medicare-subsidised individual sessions from 1 January next year, provided you have an appropriate referral and continue to meet the eligibility rules. You may still attend additional privately paid sessions this year.
No. The plan does not have a lifetime allowance of 10 sessions. Ten is the annual Medicare individual-session limit, not the number of sessions permitted under one plan. Your GP may continue to manage and review your existing plan and issue further referrals when clinically appropriate and when you have annual Medicare sessions available.
Not an absolute one. The MBS guidance says a new plan should generally not be prepared within 12 months of the last plan unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as a significant change in your mental health. Usually the existing plan should be reviewed or updated instead. Twelve months is not always identical to 365 days.
