Medicare rebate information
Access to a psychologist may be covered under Medicare. You must be assessed by your doctor as having a mental health disorder or condition. Your doctor must then complete a Mental Health Care Plan and a referral letter before you can receive psychological services under Medicare. A psychiatrist can also provide a referral letter. With an appropriate referral you can initially obtain up to six sessions under Medicare. Your doctor will then assess your progress, and may authorise further sessions. Generally you can access a maximum of 10 sessions per calendar year.
Our psychologists set their own fees. Medicare rebates vary depending on the qualifications of the psychologist. This means that the gap fee will vary depending on who you are seeing. However, our psychologists have the discretion to reduce the gap fee for clients who are experiencing financial hardship. Our fees are reviewed annually at the beginning of the financial year.
Elaine's fees for Medicare clients (from 1/7/26)
Elaine's standard consultation fee is $235. This is $95 less that the fee recommended by the Australian Psychological Society) as of 1/7/26. The Medicare rebate (the amount that Medicare refunds you after paying the account) is $149.05. This means that your out of pocket expense is $85.95. Some clients who hold concession cards may be eligible for a reduced fee, depending on client circumstances and availability. A different fee structure applies to NDIS, Return to Work SA, and EAP clients. In these situations the fee is paid by an organisation (with the exception of self-managed NDIS clients).
Payment of Fees
Payment of the full appointment fee is required at the time of service . We are unable to accept payment of the gap fee only. For your convenience our practice has EFTPOS and Medicare Easyclaim facilities. With Medicare Easyclaim the Medicare rebate is processed at the same time as you pay the consultation fee. This means that your refund from Medicare is deposited into your savings or cheque account immediately. A physical card is required to process your refund (this may be different to other systems you have used). We also have HiCaps for private health insurance claims.
Return to Work SA (formerly known as Workcover)
Where your case manager has authorised psychological therapy, the entire fee will be met by Return to Work SA or self-insuring employers. However, you will be liable for any fee for non-attendance or late cancellation.
Bulk-billing and reduced gap fees
Unfortunately our practice is unable to accept new referrals for bulk-billing as our fees are already well below the recommended rate set by the Australian Psychological Society. However reduced gap fees may apply for clients in financial hardship who also have a relevant concession card. Your doctor may be able to suggest other options that are free of charge, such as Sonder, which is a counselling and therapy service that requires a GP referral.
Non Medicare Services
If you are not eligible for psychology services under Medicare you may be able to access psychology services using your private health insurance if you have cover for psychology.
Non-attendance and late cancellation fees
Your commitment to your therapy and attendance at appointments is important for your progress. Cancellations within 48 hours of an appointment or non-attendance at appointments may incur fees.
Cancellation and Non-attendance Policy and Fees from 1/7/26
At North East Psychology we aim to keep our fees as low as possible. However we can only operate a viable practice, and maintain fees that are well below the recommended rate, if there is a low level of cancellations with less than 48 hours' notice. Due to the difficulty in filling appointments that are cancelled at short notice, and the administrative time involved, late cancellation fees will apply to all cancellations with less than 48 hours' notice unless there are exceptional circumstances such as sudden hospitalisation or severe illness etc. If you are feeling well enough you have the option of changing to a phone appointment.
*Fees are not charged if your cancelled appointment can be filled.
Elaine's Cancellation Fees from 1/7/26
Cancellations with less than 48 hours' notice but more than 24 hours' notice will incur a fee of 50% of your usual consultation fee, plus GST. For example, if your current fee is $235 this means you will be charged $129.25 ($117.50 plus $11.75 GST).
Cancellations with less than 24 hour's notice will incur a fee of 100% of your usual fee, and is inclusive of GST .
Our psychologists set their own fees. Medicare rebates vary depending on the qualifications of the psychologist. This means that the gap fee will vary depending on who you are seeing. However, our psychologists have the discretion to reduce the gap fee for clients who are experiencing financial hardship. Our fees are reviewed annually at the beginning of the financial year.
Elaine's fees for Medicare clients (from 1/7/26)
Elaine's standard consultation fee is $235. This is $95 less that the fee recommended by the Australian Psychological Society) as of 1/7/26. The Medicare rebate (the amount that Medicare refunds you after paying the account) is $149.05. This means that your out of pocket expense is $85.95. Some clients who hold concession cards may be eligible for a reduced fee, depending on client circumstances and availability. A different fee structure applies to NDIS, Return to Work SA, and EAP clients. In these situations the fee is paid by an organisation (with the exception of self-managed NDIS clients).
Payment of Fees
Payment of the full appointment fee is required at the time of service . We are unable to accept payment of the gap fee only. For your convenience our practice has EFTPOS and Medicare Easyclaim facilities. With Medicare Easyclaim the Medicare rebate is processed at the same time as you pay the consultation fee. This means that your refund from Medicare is deposited into your savings or cheque account immediately. A physical card is required to process your refund (this may be different to other systems you have used). We also have HiCaps for private health insurance claims.
Return to Work SA (formerly known as Workcover)
Where your case manager has authorised psychological therapy, the entire fee will be met by Return to Work SA or self-insuring employers. However, you will be liable for any fee for non-attendance or late cancellation.
Bulk-billing and reduced gap fees
Unfortunately our practice is unable to accept new referrals for bulk-billing as our fees are already well below the recommended rate set by the Australian Psychological Society. However reduced gap fees may apply for clients in financial hardship who also have a relevant concession card. Your doctor may be able to suggest other options that are free of charge, such as Sonder, which is a counselling and therapy service that requires a GP referral.
Non Medicare Services
If you are not eligible for psychology services under Medicare you may be able to access psychology services using your private health insurance if you have cover for psychology.
Non-attendance and late cancellation fees
Your commitment to your therapy and attendance at appointments is important for your progress. Cancellations within 48 hours of an appointment or non-attendance at appointments may incur fees.
Cancellation and Non-attendance Policy and Fees from 1/7/26
At North East Psychology we aim to keep our fees as low as possible. However we can only operate a viable practice, and maintain fees that are well below the recommended rate, if there is a low level of cancellations with less than 48 hours' notice. Due to the difficulty in filling appointments that are cancelled at short notice, and the administrative time involved, late cancellation fees will apply to all cancellations with less than 48 hours' notice unless there are exceptional circumstances such as sudden hospitalisation or severe illness etc. If you are feeling well enough you have the option of changing to a phone appointment.
*Fees are not charged if your cancelled appointment can be filled.
Elaine's Cancellation Fees from 1/7/26
Cancellations with less than 48 hours' notice but more than 24 hours' notice will incur a fee of 50% of your usual consultation fee, plus GST. For example, if your current fee is $235 this means you will be charged $129.25 ($117.50 plus $11.75 GST).
Cancellations with less than 24 hour's notice will incur a fee of 100% of your usual fee, and is inclusive of GST .
