Mental Health Treatment Plans

What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan?

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A Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP, previously known as a ‘mental health care plan’) is a plan for people with a mental health problem. If you have mental health issues, your doctor can write a plan for you.

The plan identifies what type of health care you need and spells out what you and your doctor have agreed you are aiming to achieve.

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Who is eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan?

 

A MHTP is available to you if you have a mental health problem identified by a doctor (see below for the full list of disorders covered by a MHTP). You will need to be eligible for Medicare to access a MHTP.

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How do I get a Mental Health Treatment Plan?

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Schedule an appointment with your doctor who will assess whether you have a mental health problem and are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

Your doctor will ask a few questions, complete the plan, and you will set goals together. They may also ask you to complete some brief questionnaires that help to assess your mental health concerns. Before you go to your appointment with your doctor, it’s a good idea to write down a list of the things you want support with. When you make the booking with your doctor, ask if a long appointment — 20 minutes or more — is needed.

In some situations, your doctor might refer you to a psychiatrist (a doctor who specialises in mental health) or a paediatrician (who specialises in young people) for a clearer diagnosis.

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What does a Mental Health Treatment Plan cover?

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If you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you will be entitled to Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual psychological appointments per calendar year. If eligible, you may also be able to access up to 10 group allied mental health services each year.

You can’t get Medicare rebates for all the sessions in one go. Your doctor will initially approve up to six rebated sessions (they can specify any number depending on need). Following your first session with your psychologist, they will typically write to your doctor to tell them that you have engaged in treatment. After you have completed the specific number of sessions approved in the initial plan (usually six), your psychologist will write a progress letter to your doctor. You will then need to see your doctor again for a mental health plan review so they can decide if you need a referral for further sessions. Please note that you may need to leave a few days after your sixth session for your GP to receive and read this letter from your treating psychologist.

Your doctor can then refer you for up to another six sessions. However, only ten sessions can be used in any calendar year. Therefore, if following the initial six sessions, your doctor re-referred you for another six sessions, you would need to wait until the following calendar year to use the final two sessions to claim the rebate.

A MHTP does not expire. A referral is valid until the referred number of sessions has been completed, regardless of whether a client chooses to change their mental health provider.

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How much will I have to pay to see a psychologist?

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Health professionals each set their fee, and a Medicare rebate is available using a MHTP to reduce your overall out-of-pocket costs. It is a good idea to find out the cost of service and the available Medicare benefits from the health professional before making an appointment. At Present Tense Psychology, the cost of treatment sessions is set at $200 per 50-minute session. This would be the total cost if you were a private fee-paying client without a medicare rebate. If you are claiming through Medicare under a Mental Health Treatment Plan you will be provided with a $96.65 rebate per session. Therefore, your total out-of-pocket expense is $103.35 per 50-minute session. 

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Psychological issues covered by a MHTP

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• Alcohol Use Disorder

• Anxiety disorders

• Depression

• Drug Use Disorder

• Eating disorders

• OCD

• Panic Disorder

• Psychotic disorders

• Schizophrenia

• Sexual disorders

• Sleep problems

• Phobic disorder

• Co-occurring anxiety and depression

• Attention-Deficit Disorder

• Bereavement

• Bipolar disorders

• Adjustment Disorder

• Conduct Disorder

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For further information regarding accessing our services and how to obtain a Mental Health Treatment Plan, please do not hesitate to contact us for further support. 

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