How to obtain a Medicare referral to see me
Please feel welcome to email me or ring me on 0412 844 278 if you wish to discuss any of these details.
Download and print my GP Referral Form
Take this form to your GP appointment
Making the doctor’s appointment
Book an extended appointment with your GP.
You will generally require a double or extended appointment since your GP requires longer than a standard appointment to complete the paper work
What will happen at your Doctor’s appointment?
Ask your GP for 2 things:
1 – Mental Health Care Plan
Your GP will ask you a few questions about your concerns and will probably give you a questionnaire that measures your level of “psychological distress” or your stress, anxiety, and depression.
It may feel a little weird and incomplete having your concerns assessed on one of these questionnaires. However they are just a rough guide designed to give information briefly and quickly; these numbers will also serve as a baseline measurement to monitor how you are feeling over time.
This paper work will be what Medicare calls a Mental Health Care Plan.
2 – GP referral to me
Medicare calls my profession: Mental Health Social Worker (What is a Mental Health Social Worker?)
Your GP must include a referral to me, and not just mental health care plan. I prefer all GPs to complete my form since it contains all necessary details, reducing the need for further follow-up to obtain missing information. (experience has taught me this)
What to bring to your first counselling appointment
- Your Mental Health Care Plan & Referral from your GP – Medicare requires you have arranged these details with your GP prior to your 1st counselling appointment otherwise you cannot claim a rebate.
- Your Medicare card
- either cash, a debit card, or credit card (read below for further details)
- a debit card is required to receive your Medicare rebate
Paying for your counselling appointments
Medicare requires all fees to be paid upfront and then the rebate to be claimed.
Your fee is made up of : (i) Medicare rebate (ii) Out of pocket expense/gap payment
I have Eftpos & Medicare ezy claim facilities at my office – you are welcome to pay either with cash, or use a debit or credit card.
Claiming your refund from Medicare
When using the Medicare Ezy claim facility at my office, your refund will be immediately refunded $79.05/session (almost always by the time you leave my office).
You must bring a debit card for claiming your refund, as Medicare will not refund to a credit card.
To obtain a 2nd & 3rd referral to me
Medicare covers up to 10 appointments/person in a calendar year (from January to December). After the 6th session, Medicare requires you to obtain a 2nd referral from your GP for the remaining 4 sessions; after the 10th session, again you are required to obtain a 3rd referral from your GP if you wish to have further counselling sessions with a Medicare rebate.
You are not required to attend this maximum number of sessions.
You are welcome to come for as many sessions as you prefer.
Letter to your GP: Medicare requires I write a brief letter back to your GP either at the end of each block of sessions or when you choose to end counselling.
Please do not feel alarmed at words such as Mental Health; these words can seem quite unsettling and dramatic. However mental health just refers to how we are feeling emotionally in the same way as physical health refers to how our body is feeling regards broken arms, flu, asthma etc.
Mental Health Care Plans are for everyday people with everyday problems who are managing well in many areas of their lives, but would like some extra support and ideas for managing some complicated experiences or current challenges.