GP mental health plan is service that entitle a patient access to psychologist due to mental health illness. As this is one of the most claim item, I would like to make everyone aware how this system works.
Firstly, if you think that you have mental illness and need to see a psychologist/counsellor, you need to make double appointment with your doctor for this mental health plan to be done. Not all mental illness can be claimed under this mental health plan. The following mental illnesses known to be eliglible as below:
- Depression
- Generalised anxiety disorder
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Anorexia nervosa
- Post traumatic stress disorder
After being assessed by your doctor to have a mental illness, your doctor will need to complete a mental health plan which involved paperwork and referral letter to psychologist. After this is done, your doctor will bill Medicare item 2715 or 2717 depending on the length of consultation. When this is done, you can see psychologist. A pyschologist will then be able to bill Medicare for the consult. Depending on individual psychologist, some bulk bill or charge gap for their consult.
Due to outbreak of Coronavirus, Australian government allows GP mental health plan to be done through telehealth consult instead of face to face.
Children with mental health issues or behavioural problems are also entitled to GP mental health plan to see psychologist. The following lists of mental health issues or behavioural problems are as below:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Asperger syndrome
- Autistic disorder
- Conduct disorder
- Tourette's disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
For conditions such as bereavement, anger management and sleep disorder are not eligible for GP mental health plan.