How Medicare rebates for psychology work in 2026

A “Medicare psychologist” is a psychologist whose sessions may attract a Medicare rebate. You pay the session fee. Medicare may then pay part of it back to you. To claim, you need a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP. The rules on who can write that plan changed on 1 November 2025.

This guide shows you how to get the plan, what Medicare may pay and what it does not cover. Then it shows what you pay after any rebate. You can book with the numbers in front of you.

How do Medicare rebates for psychology work?

Medicare rebates may apply to psychology sessions when your GP writes a Mental Health Treatment Plan and refers you to a psychologist. The rebates come from the Government’s Better Access program. You pay the session fee. Medicare pays a set amount back into your bank account. The gap between the fee and the rebate is what you pay. You can also book without a plan and pay the full fee. The plan only matters if you want to claim.

What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan?

A Mental Health Treatment Plan is a plan your GP writes with you about your mental health. Many people still call it a mental health care plan. It records what has been going on, your goals and the support that may help. If psychology is part of the plan, your GP writes you a referral. healthdirect explains what the plan involves.

To get one, book a longer appointment with your GP. Tell the practice it is for a mental health plan. Your GP asks how you have been feeling. They may give you a short questionnaire. You leave with a plan and, if it fits, a referral.

Who can write a GP mental health plan from 1 November 2025?

From 1 November 2025, the plan must come from your usual GP or from the practice where you are enrolled in MyMedicare. Your usual GP is generally the doctor or clinic that has given you most of your care over the past 12 months. It can also be the one that will over the next 12.

North Western Melbourne PHN summarises the change. A Medicare benefit is only payable when you have seen “a GP or PMP at their enrolled MyMedicare practice”, or when “the patient’s usual medical practitioner prepares the plan”. Read the PHN’s summary of the Better Access changes.

Two exceptions apply:

• Plans dated before 1 November 2025 stay valid until their sessions run out.
• The new rule does not apply to referrals from eligible psychiatrists or paediatricians.

No regular GP? Ask a clinic about enrolling in MyMedicare. Then book your plan appointment there.

How many sessions can Medicare cover each year?

Medicare rebates may apply to up to 10 individual psychology sessions each calendar year, from 1 January to 31 December. The count resets each January. Your GP refers you for a course of sessions. When that course ends, your psychologist sends your GP a written report. Your GP then reviews whether you need more. The Department of Health’s Better Access page sets out the limits.

How much is the Medicare rebate for a psychologist in 2026?

With a plan, the Medicare benefit for a session of 50 minutes or more with a general psychologist is $101.55. That is 85% of the schedule fee of $119.45. For a session of 20 to 50 minutes, the benefit is $72.00.

Session with a general psychologist	Medicare benefit	MBS item (video)	MBS item (face to face)
50 minutes or more	$101.55	91170	80110
20 to 50 minutes	$72.00	91169	80100

The benefit is a fixed amount. It stays the same when a practice charges more than the schedule fee. The gap is yours to pay.

What does Medicare not cover?

Medicare rebates do not apply to counselling, ADHD coaching or an adult ADHD assessment. Better Access pays rebates for sessions with psychologists and some other eligible practitioners. Counsellors and ADHD coaches are not on that list. You pay the full fee for the adult ADHD assessment.

Fees for these services at PsyAus Health:

• Counselling session, 50 minutes: $140. No Medicare rebate.
• ADHD coaching, 50 minutes: $150. No Medicare rebate.
• Adult ADHD assessment: $1,190 total. No Medicare rebate.

What will I pay after the rebate? A worked example

At PsyAus Health, a standard 50-minute session with a general psychologist costs $210. With a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you may get $101.55 back from Medicare. That means you pay $108.45. Here are the sums for both session types:

Session with a general psychologist	Fee	Medicare rebate, if eligible	You pay
Standard, 50 minutes	$210.00	$101.55	$108.45
Short, 20 minutes	$95.00	$72.00	$23.00

Over a full year of 10 standard sessions, Medicare may pay back $1,015.50. You would pay $1,084.50.

Out-of-pocket costs for some Medicare services count towards the Medicare Safety Net. Once you reach the threshold, some rebates may go up. healthdirect explains how the Safety Net works.

Your fee and any Medicare rebate come to you in writing before you book. The fees page lists every service.

Can I use Afterpay and still claim the rebate?

Yes. Afterpay changes how you pay the fee. The fee and any Medicare rebate stay the same. You split the session fee into four instalments. Any rebate still goes into the bank account linked to your Medicare record.

How do I get paid the rebate?

Medicare pays any rebate into the bank account linked to your Medicare record. The steps run like this:

1. You join by video or phone.
2. You pay the full session fee.
3. The session claim goes to Medicare.
4. Your rebate lands in your account.

Before your first session, check your bank details in your Medicare online account through myGov. That way the rebate reaches you without delay.

A quick checklist before you book

• Decide if you will claim or book privately.
• Book a longer appointment with your usual GP.
• Ask your GP for a plan and referral.
• Check your Medicare card and linked bank details.
• Have your referral details ready for the booking.

Our Medicare page sets out the Mental Health Treatment Plan and rebates in one place. Weighing up an assessment? Read our guide to adult ADHD assessment.

Book an appointment

You can book with or without a plan. Read the practitioner profiles. Choose who you would like to see and pick a time. We aim to reply within one business day. Your first session ends with an agreed next step.

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