Referrals, Fees and Rebates Overview

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• Private Consulting Fees

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WPS fees are less than those recommended by The Australian Psychological Society which recommends a fee of $300 for a standard 45-60 minute consultation, though psychologists are free to set their own rates.

 

All our private consulting fees are reduced to: 

·          Clinical Consultation Fee is $215

·          Standard Consultation Fee is $185.

·          Saturday Standard Consultation Fee includes a $15 surcharge.

 

Payment is made on the day of the consultation.

We are not a bulk billing practice. Please click here to find information regarding no out of pocket cost services. 

 

• Medicare Rebates

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i) Mental Health Treatment Plan

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• If clients are referred under the Medicare Better Access to Mental Health Initiative, then a referral is required by a GP, Paediatrician or Psychiatrist.

• Medicare Rebates may be claimed at WPS via Medicare Online Claiming for payment direct to your account if your bank details are registered with  Medicare. Alternatively, you can claim your rebate by visiting Medicare.

• You can claim up to 10 individual and 10 group services per calendar year (an additional 10 sessions if COVID. 

• You cannot claim the Medicare rebate and a private health ancillary insurance rebate at the same time.

• The Medicare Safety Net applies to payments above the total of your rebate.

• Medicare referrals can be provided to patients with an assessed mental health concern managed by a GP under a GP Mental Health Care Plan or on direct referral from a psychiatrist or paediatrician. Eg. anxiety, depression, sleep problems, grief, drugs and alcohol abuse, ADHD and conduct problems, eating disorders, unexplained physical complaints, and sexual problems.

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ii) Enhanced Primary Care Plan

 

Clients with an Enhanced Primary Care Plan (EPC) and referral from their GP may be entitled to a Medicare rebate of $52.95 per session for 5 sessions maximum.

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​No Out of Pocket Cost Services

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• NDIS

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If you are accessing counselling via NDIA funding, our practice charges the scheduled fee as outlined by NDIS. There is no out of pocket cost.

The NDIS provide a price guide for service providers (ndis.gov.au).

The  price controls and associated arrangements is designed to help providers to operate within the NDIS market environment, maximising choice for participants. NDIA pay a rate in accordance with the knowledge that NDIS participants may  experience complexity and challenges that affect their ability to attend. The NDIA recommend the same rate for attendance and non-attendance/late-cancellation to ensure client’s continued access to care and to not disadvantage the service provider. They also allow parent-only sessions, telephone counselling and have recommended fees  for the writing of reports to support the participants care options/ to better tailor care, unique to the participants needs.

All plans of care are discussed with NDIA plan managers to allocate the appropriate amount of funding to cover the needs of the participant. For example, if the participant requires fortnightly psychology sessions, an allocation of funding will be made to support this frequency of service at the NDIA rate specified. Over the course of an NDIS plan, this takes into consideration non-attendance, planned breaks of care related to holidays/school/life events etc, If annual reviews of the participants NDIS plan do not utilise allocated psychology funding, allowances may be reduced in subsequent funding periods

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• TPS  (Targeted Psychological Sessions)

 

CAREinMIND Melbourne Primary Care Network (MPCN) offers free psychological counselling to assist people on low incomes with a healthcare card/pension card to address a range of mental health problems.

Up to 12 sessions may be provided to help address a range of issues.

Specialist services are also available to support children and young people, and people at risk of suicide or self-harm.

Services are available to low income earners with priority given to those at increased risk of suicide and self-harm (appointments within 72 hours of referral), new mothers, children and young people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and those affected by homelessness.

 

General Practitioners (GPs) referring patients under TPS do so through CAREinMIND and may request our service or a practitioner within it.

 

See below for referral form link:

https://nwmphn.org.au/health-systems-capacity-building/careinmind/

 

• EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 

 

WPS is able to provide employer’s workers with personal, marriage, family or work related counselling. Workers can self refer if there is an agreement in place between WPS and the employer. Content of discussions remain confidential and are never disclosed to the employer. Clients are welcome to obtain further sessions at their own cost. 

 

• TRANSPORT ACCIDENT COMMISSION (TAC)

 

If you have an accepted TAC claim psychological counselling may be accessed by you and family through a GP referral or directly from the TAC Road Trauma Unit. 

 

• WORKCOVER

 

Psychological counselling can be accessed via a GP referral for clients who  have an accepted Workcover claim . A referral letter from the GP is essential prior to psychological counselling as well as counselling approval by the insurer.

 

• COMCARE

 

Employees working for the Commonwealth Government are also eligible for psychological counselling with an accepted claim and GP referral.​

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• VOCAT

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Victims of Crime related counselling can be accessed via a claim to VOCAT or through a solicitor. Feel free to contact our office for further details.

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• OPEN PLACE

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Open Place will support up to 16 counselling sessions per financial year for each Forgotten Australian and up to 12 counselling sessions for one year (as a ‘one-off’) for a family member of a Forgotten Australian to address the needs of people who grew up in Victorian orphanages and homes during the last century.

WPS has a counselling contract with Open Place and aims to help people who identify as Forgotten Australians to deal with the legacy of their childhood experiences and provide support to improve their mental health and well-being.