If you are going to use your Medicare to cover part of your fees, you need to see your GP and obtain a Referral letter and a Mental Health Care Plan. If you are a client who is coming through TAC, WorkCover, NDIS, Private Health Insurance, etc. you need to make sure you have the appropriate referral for our services. You can also come to see us without any referrals, in that case, you are required to pay for your services. If you are not sure, please contact our clinic and our reception team members guide you about your referral requirements.
To schedule an initial appointment with one of our clinicians, a valid referral from your General Practitioner (GP) or another referrer is required, unless you prefer self-referral. Once we receive your referral at our consulting rooms, the clinician you’ve been referred to will carefully review the information to ensure your needs align with their area of expertise and that they are best suited to support your care.
Please note that our clinicians do not consult on-site every day, and due to high demand, their schedules are often fully booked. As a result, it may take up to a week for your referral to be reviewed.
If the referred clinician is not the best fit for your specific needs, we can forward your referral to another member of our experienced clinical team. Once your referral has been reviewed and approved, a member of our reception team will contact you to discuss appointment fees and schedule the earliest available time for your initial consultation
Health Triangle has adequate car parking in front of the building on the opposite side of the road. On your first visit to our consulting rooms, after checking in with our friendly reception team members, we will ask you to fill out some forms so we can capture all of your details.
At Health Triangle, we take your privacy seriously. Information shared between you and your clinician is kept confidential and protected by law in most situations. However, there are specific circumstances that could be exceptions:
In most cases, clinicians are happy to welcome carers or support people into appointments, if that’s the client’s preference. However, there may be times when the clinician feels it is more appropriate or beneficial to meet with the client one-on-one. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please don’t hesitate to discuss them directly with your clinician.
For most appointments, we can process the Medicare rebate for you through the online Medicare rebate system. As long as your details and bank account is registered with Medicare we should be able to process this for you immediately after taking payment for your consultation.
The Better Access initiative, funded by Medicare, is a national program developed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Australians by making psychological services more accessible and affordable.
This initiative recognises the growing need for effective mental health support within the community and aims to ensure that individuals can receive the right care at the right time. primary goal of the Better Access initiative is to enhance the treatment and management of mental health conditions by enabling people to connect with a range of qualified mental health professionals.
This includes Clinical Psychologists, Registered Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Accredited Social Workers, and Occupational Therapists who have specialised training in mental health care. A key feature of the program is its emphasis on collaborative, team-based care. General Practitioners (GPs) play a central role in this model by acting as the first point of contact. They assess a person’s mental health needs and, where appropriate, prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP). This plan allows eligible individuals to access a number of subsidised therapy sessions with participating mental health practitioners under Medicare. For Psychologists, it is a maximum of 10 sessions per Calendar year that is subsidised by Medicare under this initiative.
You can find out more information about the Better Access Scheme here: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/better-access-initiative
The Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDMP)—previously known as the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Plan—is an Australian Government initiative designed to support individuals living with long-term health conditions or injuries. This program enables eligible patients to access services from Allied Health Professionals, such as psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and dietitians, with the support of a Medicare rebate, helping them better manage their ongoing health needs.
Under the CDMP, patients may be eligible to receive up to five subsidised sessions per calendar year with an allied health provider. To access these services, you’ll need a referral from your General Practitioner (GP), who will assess your eligibility and develop a tailored care plan.
The CDMP is specifically intended for individuals with chronic medical conditions—those that have persisted for six months or more—and where additional support is needed to improve management and outcomes. Conditions may include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal issues, or other ongoing health concerns.
You can find out more information about the Chronic Disease Management Plan here: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/chronic-disease-management-plan?context=20
No, a mental health care plan for group therapy is not the same as one for individual therapy, but they are both part of the same broader framework of mental health treatment. A mental health care plan, whether for individual or group therapy, is a structured plan developed by a General Practitioner (GP) to outline a patient’s mental health goals, treatment options, and services.
Both individual and group therapy are eligible for Medicare rebates under the Better Access initiative, but they are distinct services with separate claimable sessions, with a patient potentially accessing up to 10 of each per year.
There is no specific limit on the number of Mental Health Care Plans you can receive, but your initial plan should continue over some time. If your doctor believes it is clinically required, like when a significant change occurs, they can work with you on a new plan. Otherwise they can write you a review plan that would allow you to utilise the remaining sessions that you are eligible under Medicare Better Access Program.
A Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) allows access to up to 10 Medicare-rebated individual or group therapy sessions within a calendar year. Initially, a doctor or psychiatrist can refer you for up to 6 sessions. If further treatment is deemed necessary, they can review your plan and refer you for an additional 4 sessions within the same calendar year.
In some cases, a patient’s family or carers can participate in two sessions as part of the patient’s course of treatment, which will also count towards the 10-session limit.
If further treatment is required in a subsequent calendar year, a new MHCP or a renewal of the existing one can be obtained, allowing access to another 10 sessions.