What is a mental health care plan?

It is a plan you prepare together with your GP — Medicare's formal name is a mental health treatment plan — describing what you are dealing with, your goals and the supports you will use. Once it is in place, Medicare rebates become available for sessions with a mental health professional such as a psychologist, under the Better Access initiative.

How many psychology sessions do I get?

Medicare rebates are available for up to 10 individual sessions and up to 10 group sessions each calendar year. They are released in stages: the first referral usually covers 6 sessions, and after a review with your GP you can be referred for the remaining sessions. Unused sessions do not carry over into the next calendar year.

How much does a mental health care plan cost?

The GP appointment to prepare the plan is billed like other consultations — at The Local Doctor standard consultation fees apply with a Medicare rebate (see our fees pages). For the psychology sessions, Medicare pays a fixed rebate per session; psychologists set their own fees, so the out-of-pocket gap varies between providers and some bulk bill.

Do I need a care plan to see a psychologist?

No — you can see a psychologist privately without any referral. The care plan's purpose is the Medicare rebate: without one, you pay the full fee yourself (though private health insurance may contribute, depending on your cover).

Do I need a care plan to see a psychiatrist?

No. Psychiatrists require a standard GP referral letter, not a mental health treatment plan. Medicare rebates then apply to the psychiatrist's consultations.

The plan itself does not have a fixed expiry date, but the rebated sessions reset each calendar year, and your GP will periodically review the plan with you — usually after the first sessions and then as needed — to keep it current and refer you for further sessions.

Mental health

Mental Health Care Plans: How They Work and How to Get One

By Dr Christopher Irwin · MBChB, FRACGP, MMed (Skin Cancer), FACAM, ASCD · Published 10 July 2026 · Reviewed 10 July 2026

A practical guide for patients. This is general information — your own GP can tell you what applies to your situation.

If you are struggling with anxiety, low mood, stress or another mental health concern, a mental health care plan is one of the most useful things your GP can set up with you. Medicare’s formal name for it is a mental health treatment plan, and it is the gateway to Medicare-rebated sessions with a psychologist under the Australian Government’s Better Access initiative. This guide explains what the plan is, who can get one, what it costs, and what happens at each step.

What a mental health care plan is

A mental health care plan is a written plan that you and your GP prepare together. It records:

what you have been experiencing, and any diagnosis;
your goals — what you would like to change or manage better;
the supports you will use — most commonly a referral to a psychologist, along with anything your GP will do (follow-up visits, medication if appropriate, lifestyle strategies).

Once the plan is in place, Medicare rebates become available for up to 10 individual sessions and up to 10 group sessions with a mental health professional each calendar year. “Mental health professional” includes psychologists as well as certain occupational therapists and social workers who provide focused psychological strategies.

Who is eligible

Care plans are for people with a diagnosed mental health condition — which includes very common conditions such as anxiety and depression. You do not need to be in crisis, and you do not need to have it all figured out before you book. If you are not sure whether what you are feeling “counts”, that is exactly the kind of question a GP consultation is for.

How to get one

Book a longer GP appointment. Preparing a plan properly takes time — when booking at The Local Doctor, let reception know it is for a mental health care plan and choose a longer appointment.
Talk it through. Your GP will ask about how you have been feeling, your sleep, energy, work and home life, and anything else relevant — and may use a short questionnaire to help gauge how things are affecting you.
Build the plan together. You and your GP agree on goals and supports, and your GP completes the plan.
Referral. If psychology is part of the plan, your GP writes a referral — the first referral usually covers 6 sessions. You can ask to be referred to a specific psychologist, or your GP can recommend one.

What happens after the first sessions

After the initial course of sessions, you return to your GP for a review. This is a deliberate part of the design: it checks what is helping, adjusts the plan if needed, and — if further sessions would help — lets your GP refer you for the remaining rebated sessions for that calendar year (up to 10 individual sessions in total). Reviews are also a natural point to talk about anything that has changed.

What it costs

There are two separate costs to understand:

The GP appointments (preparing the plan, and reviews) are billed like other GP consultations. At The Local Doctor, standard consultation fees apply with a Medicare rebate — see our Ivanhoe fees and Diamond Creek fees pages.
The psychology sessions attract a fixed Medicare rebate per session once you have a plan. Psychologists set their own fees, so the out-of-pocket gap varies between providers — some bulk bill, many charge a gap. It is worth asking about fees when you book your first session.

A few things worth knowing

Sessions reset each calendar year — unused rebated sessions do not roll over, and a new calendar year does not automatically need a brand-new plan (your GP may just review the existing one and write a new referral).
You can change psychologists. The referral is about the rebate, not a lock-in. If the fit is not right, tell your GP — finding the right person matters.
Privacy. Your plan is part of your confidential medical record, handled like the rest of your health information.
Psychiatrists are different. A psychiatrist requires a standard GP referral letter rather than a care plan; Medicare rebates then apply to their consultations.

If you need help now

A care plan is a tool for planned care — it is not the right path in a crisis. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000. For 24-hour support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467, or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Getting started

If you have been putting this off, a single longer GP appointment is all it takes to get the ball rolling. Our GPs at Ivanhoe and Diamond Creek prepare and review mental health care plans and can point you towards the right support.

References

Mental health treatment plans — Healthdirect Australia.
Better Access initiative — Australian Government Department of Health.

Frequently asked questions

What is a mental health care plan?: It is a plan you prepare together with your GP — Medicare's formal name is a mental health treatment plan — describing what you are dealing with, your goals and the supports you will use. Once it is in place, Medicare rebates become available for sessions with a mental health professional such as a psychologist, under the Better Access initiative.
How many psychology sessions do I get?: Medicare rebates are available for up to 10 individual sessions and up to 10 group sessions each calendar year. They are released in stages: the first referral usually covers 6 sessions, and after a review with your GP you can be referred for the remaining sessions. Unused sessions do not carry over into the next calendar year.
How much does a mental health care plan cost?: The GP appointment to prepare the plan is billed like other consultations — at The Local Doctor standard consultation fees apply with a Medicare rebate (see our fees pages). For the psychology sessions, Medicare pays a fixed rebate per session; psychologists set their own fees, so the out-of-pocket gap varies between providers and some bulk bill.
Do I need a care plan to see a psychologist?: No — you can see a psychologist privately without any referral. The care plan's purpose is the Medicare rebate: without one, you pay the full fee yourself (though private health insurance may contribute, depending on your cover).
Do I need a care plan to see a psychiatrist?: No. Psychiatrists require a standard GP referral letter, not a mental health treatment plan. Medicare rebates then apply to the psychiatrist's consultations.
Does my plan expire?: The plan itself does not have a fixed expiry date, but the rebated sessions reset each calendar year, and your GP will periodically review the plan with you — usually after the first sessions and then as needed — to keep it current and refer you for further sessions.

Talk it through with your GP

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