A Mental Health Care Plan is a support plan for someone going through mental health issues. It’s different to a standard referral because it allows access to government subsidised psychology sessions. Engaging in psychological therapy is more than a coffee catch-up with a friend; it utilises evidence-based practice, delivered by a trained professional, to help improve symptoms and get your mental health back on track.

A Mental Health Care Plan is available if you have a clinically diagnosed mental health condition. Your GP will need to take a thorough history, possibly perform a physical exam and order investigations to determine whether you meet diagnostic criteria. Children and teenagers are also eligible. It is a Medicare requirement they attend their appointment along with their parent/guardian.

Book an appointment with your GP. If you are a new patient or it’s your first time discussing your mental health, consider booking an extended appointment. Your GP’s reception team can help with booking queries. Depending on your symptoms, your GP may require you to attend two consults to complete the workup required for MHCP completion.

A Mental Health Care Plan entitles you to subsidised psychological appointments - 10 sessions per calendar year (previously 20 under Covid-19 Pandemic impact). The Medicare rebate provides patients with financial assistance to help cover the cost of their medical services. You do not gain access to all sessions at once. After 6 sessions you will need to see your GP for a review appointment and re-referral. Your mental health practitioner will send your GP a summary of your progress after the completion of 6 sessions.

A Mental Health Care Plan will allow you to see a registered mental health practitioner for psychological therapy. Most of the time your GP will refer you to a psychologist, but some social workers and occupational therapists are also registered to provide rebateable services. The rebate Medicare provides is variable based on who you see. Individual practitioners set their private fees so it’s worth contacting them to find out the rebate amount and any out-of-pocket costs. You may choose to see a practitioner without a Mental Health Care Plan and pay for the consult completely out-of-pocket.

Login to your MyGov account and open your Medicare account. Go to “History and Statements” and click “Medicare Claims History”, this will show your claims history. Your mental health practitioner can also let you know how many sessions you have left and when you may need to obtain a new referral from your GP.

Unfortunately, the answer to this is no. It is illegal for your GP to backdate any referral including a MHCP referral or review. It is important you stay across when you will need a new referral and make proactive appointments ahead of time; forgetting to do so may result in you not being able to claim a rebate for your psychology session. Contact your referred practitioner and ensure an in-date referral is in place before you see them.

Mental Health Care Plan appointments are complex consults so it’s important to be punctual and prepared to maximise consult time. Remember, your GP has most likely seen patients in comparable life circumstances or experiencing similar symptoms. Be honest, we’re not there to judge you, rather, there to help.

At TheCloudGP, we know that seeing a GP for the first time can feel intimidating, so we’ve prepared a MHCP Preparation Resource for you to take into your GP. Fill it in at home ahead of your appointment so you are best prepared. The form also covers the required assessment questionnaire and goal setting for MHCP completion. The form will hopefully help your GP fill in the required paperwork efficiently, allowing them more time to ask specific questions and connect with your unique situation.