The referral pathways guide
Read with intention
Meet the cliniciansWhich one applies?
Each clinician’s title is on our team page.
Mental Health Treatment Plans · Better Access
Medicare rebates, explained properly.
A Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP unlocks Medicare rebates on psychology sessions, in our rooms or by telehealth.
The basics
What a Mental Health Treatment Plan actually is.
A Mental Health Treatment Plan (often called a Mental Health Care Plan) is a plan your GP writes under Medicare’s Better Access initiative. With a plan and a referral, part of each session fee comes back to you as a Medicare rebate.
Step one
A plan from your GP
Your GP talks through what’s going on, prepares the plan with you, and writes a referral to a psychologist.
What you get
Up to 10 rebated sessions
Medicare rebates part of the fee for up to 10 individual psychology sessions each calendar year.
- First referral: up to 6 sessions, then your GP can refer the rest
- Up to 10 group-program services may also be available
Anywhere in Australia
Telehealth counts
Individual telehealth sessions attract the same Medicare rebates as sitting in our Parramatta rooms.
- Where safe and clinically appropriate for you
Prefer not to?
No referral needed to start
You can see us privately at the full fee, without a GP visit, a plan, or anything on your Medicare record.
- You can add a plan later if you change your mind
The process
Three steps from GP to rebate.
- 1
See your GP
Book a longer appointment and say it’s about your mental health. Your GP assesses how you’re travelling and, if a plan is right for you, prepares the MHTP and referral on the spot.
Ask about bulk billing - 2
Send us the referral
We match you with a psychologist and confirm your fee and rebate in writing.
Matched after a free triage - 3
Claim on the spot
Pay on the day. We lodge your Medicare claim straight after, and Medicare pays the rebate into your bank account.
We handle the claiming
The numbers
What you get back.
There are two rebate levels: a higher one for clinical psychologists and a standard one for registered psychologists. Medicare sets them each July, and they’re the same by video.
Rebates and fees, in one table
Current rebates, fees and your out-of-pocket cost are in one table on our fees & rebates page.
The Safety Net
If you reach the Medicare Safety Net threshold in a calendar year, your rebates for the rest of that year may increase.
Your clinicians
Book with your treatment plan.
Bülent Ada
Principal Psychologist & Director
Anxiety · Trauma
Sijal Ansari
Clinical Psychologist
Trauma · PTSD
Taline Bardakjian
Consultant Psychologist
Anxiety · Sleep
Mohan Shankarappa
Clinical Psychologist
Depression · Mood
Michael L. T. Cheung
Consultant Psychologist
Stress · Couples
Shahim Ahmad
Clinical Psychologist
Stress · Anxiety
Steve Sutton
Counselling Psychologist · Independent practice
Relationships · Grief
Irfan Yigit
Senior Consultant Psychologist
Anxiety · Depression
Bill Singh
Consultant Psychologist · Independent practice
Anxiety · Depression
Annette Haggerty
Consultant Psychologist
Anxiety · Depression
Common questions
Medicare & treatment plans, answered.
How many rebated sessions can I have each year?
Up to 10 individual sessions each calendar year, plus up to 10 group sessions where they suit. Your GP’s first referral covers up to 6; after a review, your GP can refer you for the rest. The count starts again each calendar year, and you can keep going privately after that.
Can I use my plan for telehealth sessions?
Yes. Video sessions attract the same rebates, anywhere in Australia, where telehealth is safe and suitable for you. See our telehealth page for how sessions run.
Does the plan itself cost me anything?
The plan is prepared during a GP consultation, so the usual cost of that GP visit applies. Many GPs bulk-bill mental-health planning appointments, but it’s worth asking when you book. There’s no separate charge from Medicare or from us for having a plan.
Can couples counselling be claimed through a plan?
Generally no. Better Access covers individual sessions only. Some clients have individual rebated sessions alongside private couples work.
What if I need help urgently?
A treatment plan is a routine pathway, not an emergency one. Please don’t wait for a GP appointment if you’re in crisis. Our urgent help page lists services available right now, Lifeline is on 13 11 14, and in an emergency always call 000.
Medicare rebates may apply
Got a plan? You’re one step away.
Send us your referral and we’ll match you with the right psychologist, usually after a free triage. No plan yet? Request an appointment anyway and start privately, or ask us what to say to your GP.
ConfidentialReply within one business dayWe lodge your claim
