Fees and Rebates
At Nest Psychology we strive to keep our costs affordable so all families can access support. As well as offering private sessions, we can subsidise treatment under the following funding streams:
- Mental Health Care Plans from GPs. This enables you to obtain up to 10 sessions per calendar year when you see a psychologist.
- Private Health Insurance. Rebates vary from insurer to insurer and you can take our invoice to your insurer to obtain a rebate.
- NDIS. We welcome children with self managed NDIS funding to see our counsellor and psychologists.
Fees
- Counselling sessions (50 minutes) are $110 (provisional psychologist), $170 (registered counsellor), $230 (registered psychologist) and $260 (clinical psychologist and educational and developmental psychologist) for clinic and video appointments.
- Out-of-hours counselling sessions (after 5pm, weekends and public holidays) are $120 (provisional psychologist), $180 (registered counsellor), $250 (registered psychologist) and $280 (clinical psychologist) for clinic and video appointments.
- Educational assessment packages to determine learning profiles of primary aged children. After a parent intake session of $250, we charge a flat package fee for a full battery of testing, a comprehensive psychological report and feedback session with you or the parents.
- For psychology visits away from the clinic, the fee is calculated based on the time. Speak to our team for an accurate quote.
If your GP writes you (or your child) a Mental Health Care Plan for counselling, your out-of-pocket cost will be reduced. The rebates are as follows:
Appointment Type
| Medicare Rebate | ||
|---|---|---|
| In clinic | $96.65 with our registered psychologists | $141.85 with our clinical psychologists |
| Outreach (your home, school, kindy or child care) | $121.35 with our registered psychologists | $165.95 with our clinical psychologists |
To obtain a mental health care plan from your GP
Step 1
Visit your GP who will determine if you are eligible for a Mental Health Care Plan, based on your symptoms and personal circumstances. Book a “long consultation” with your GP as the preparation of a Mental Health Care Plan can take 30-40 minutes.
Step 2
Initially, you will be referred for up to six therapy sessions.
Step 3
If more sessions are needed, you can return to your GP for a Mental Health Review.
Step 4
If your GP believes that you would benefit from more therapy, your GP will approve another 6 sessions.
FAQs
Who can get a mental health care plan?
A GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician is able to write a mental health care plan for you or your child for a referral to a psychologist. To be eligible for a mental health care plan, your doctor will determine if your emotional, social and/or cognitive difficulties would benefit from structured support from a psychologist. Book a long appointment with your doctor.
What do you get with a mental health care plan?
A mental health care plan entitles you to 6 sessions with a psychologist at reduced fees. After a GP review, you may be entitled to 4 more sessions if they think you would benefit from more treatment. After this, you may return to request a further 10 sessions, if needed.
How many sessions can I get with a mental health care plan?
The maximum about of subsidised sessions allowed per calendar year is 10.
How long does a session run for?
Treatment sessions run for 50 minutes. If a psychologist comes to you, or visits a school or other setting, sessions also last for 50 minutes (from when they arrive). Travel time will not eat into your psychology time.
What happens after my mental health care plan runs out?
If you still require therapy after your mental health care plan runs out, you can keep accessing therapy. Many private health insurers offer rebates for psychological treatment. Check with your own private health care provider.
How often do I need to see my GP with a mental health care plan?
Your GP will need to see you after your 6th appointment to complete a review, which they forward to your psychologist. Also, your GP will see you after your treatment finishes.
My family is on a very low income and we can't afford the out-of-pocket fees. What options do I have?
At Nest Psychology, we are committed to ensuring that our fees are affordable so that all families can access support if they need it. However, if you can’t afford any gap fee, it would be worth speaking to your GP about other psychology programs (such as ATAPS) that support families in need at low or no cost.
Can I use Medicare (Mental Health Care Plan) and Private Health rebates together?
No. You would need to use them at different times. For example, you could use Medicare rebates for the first 10 sessions, and then if further treatment is needed, you could use your private health fund rebates to subsidise further sessions.
Can I see a psychologist without a mental health care plan?
Of course. You are able to book an appointment at any time. If you have private health insurance, you may be entitled to rebates off the full fees.
What are Medicare Safety Net thresholds and how do they reduce my out-of-pocket spend?
For individuals, once you have spent over $440.80 per financial year on eligible medical services, your Medicare rebate goes up. This will reduce your out-of-pocket expense. Individuals don’t need to register for the Medicare Safety Net as Medicare will automatically provide a higher rebate once you become eligible.
For families, once you have collectively spent $2000, your Medicare rebate goes up. This will reduce your out-of-pocket expense. Families need to remember to register all family members in order to qualify for this fee reduction (phone 132 011).
What is your cancellation policy?
Due to a high demand for appointments, we have a strict cancellation policy which requires at least 48 hours’ notice for cancellations and reschedules.
We offer Telehealth appointments as an alternative to avoid late cancellation fees due to illness, forgetting or any other reason.
$0
Fees to change or cancel an appointment if you give us at least 2 full business days notice.
$100
Charged if less than 48 hours notice is given.
Full fees charged
If less than 1 business days notice is given. Inclusive of forgetting an appointment or failing to arrive.
Please note that Medicare does not offer rebates for cancelled appointments.
Business hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm (notifications given after 4pm will be considered as received on the next business day).
Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays are not considered business days.
For any cancellations for Monday appointments, we will need to be notified by Thursday the week prior.
For any cancellations for Tuesday appointments, we will need to be notified by Friday the week prior.
What if my child is unwell?
We understand that it can be challenging when your child falls ill and that it may be beyond your control. However, as a child and family clinic, we frequently receive cancellation requests due to illness. If your child is unwell, we encourage you to keep your appointment and participate in a parent-only online session with your clinician. Effective parenting is a key component of therapy, making these sessions essential. Alternatively, you may ask your clinician to use the time to prepare a letter or a handout for you. Please be aware that we will maintain our cancellation policy, as this time has been specifically reserved for you and your child.
What if I am unwell?
We recognise that illness is an unfortunate and often uncontrollable part of life. However, as a child and family clinic, we frequently receive cancellation requests due to illness. If you are unwell, we encourage you to keep your appointment and join an online session with your clinician. If you’re unable to attend online, you can request that your clinician use the scheduled time to prepare a letter or a handout for you. Please note that we must adhere to our cancellation policy and are generally unable to waive fees, as this time is specifically reserved for you.