Medicare Rebates for Telehealth Psychology in Adelaide — What You’ll Pay

A telehealth psychology session with MindLens is $260. With a GP Mental Health Care Plan, Medicare rebates $101.55 per session, so your out-of-pocket cost is about $158.45. Rebates apply to online sessions exactly as they do to in-person appointments, and sliding-scale and NDIS options are available.

Cost is one of the biggest reasons people delay seeking psychological support. Here’s a clear, no-surprises breakdown of what telehealth therapy actually costs in Adelaide and across South Australia.

The session fee

An individual 50-minute telehealth session with MindLens Psychology is $260. This is the standard fee whether you’re in metropolitan Adelaide or regional SA — because sessions are delivered online, there’s no location loading or travel component.

The Medicare rebate

If you have a GP Mental Health Care Plan and referral, Medicare provides a rebate of $101.55 per session. The rebate is paid back to you after each appointment, so your effective out-of-pocket cost is:

$260 (fee) − $101.55 (rebate) = approximately $158.45 out of pocket per session.

To access the rebate, book a Mental Health Care Plan appointment with your GP. If it’s clinically appropriate, they’ll prepare the plan and refer you. The plan covers a set number of rebated sessions per calendar year.

Do telehealth sessions qualify for the rebate?

Yes. Medicare treats eligible telehealth psychology sessions the same as face-to-face ones. As long as you have a valid Mental Health Care Plan and referral, you can claim the rebate on your online sessions from anywhere in South Australia.

NDIS participants

MindLens Psychology works with self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants. If psychological support is included in your NDIS plan, sessions can be funded through it rather than through Medicare. Speak to the practice about how to set this up.

Sliding scale for financial hardship

A limited number of sliding-scale places are available for people experiencing genuine financial hardship. If cost is a barrier to starting therapy, it’s worth asking — availability changes over time, but the practice would rather help you find a way in than have cost stop you.

A quick cost comparison

• Private (no plan): $260 per session.
• With a Mental Health Care Plan: ~$158.45 out of pocket per session after the $101.55 rebate.
• NDIS (self/plan-managed): funded through your plan where included.
• Sliding scale: reduced fee for eligible hardship cases, subject to availability.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Medicare rebate the same for telehealth and in-person?

Yes. For eligible sessions with a valid Mental Health Care Plan and referral, the rebate is the same whether you attend online or in a clinic.

Do I pay the full fee and then get the rebate back?

Yes. You pay the session fee, and Medicare pays the rebate back to you, usually within a day or two of the claim being processed.

Can I claim through private health insurance instead?

You generally can’t claim the same session through both Medicare and private health at once. If you have extras cover for psychology, check your policy — but note you can’t double-claim.

See the full picture of telehealth psychology for Adelaide and South Australia, or request an appointment to get started.