Mental health care plans, explained.
What a care plan is, what Medicare covers, what changed in November 2025, and how to get started.
What is a mental health care plan?
A mental health care plan is a plan a GP prepares after assessing your mental health. Medicare calls it a Mental Health Treatment Plan. It records what’s going on, your goals and the treatment you’ve agreed on.
Together with a referral, it gives you access to Medicare rebates for sessions with a psychologist or other eligible mental health professional, through the Better Access initiative.
How many sessions does Medicare cover?
Under Better Access you can claim a Medicare rebate for up to 10 individual and 10 group sessions each calendar year. Your first referral covers up to 6 sessions. After that, your GP reviews how you’re going and can refer you for the rest.
Medicare pays a rebate for each session. Many psychologists charge more than the rebate, so check their fees before you book.
What changed in November 2025
From 1 November 2025, to claim the Medicare rebate, your care plan, its reviews and your referrals need to come from your usual GP, or from the practice you’re registered with through MyMedicare.
What this means for you: if you have a regular GP, they’re usually the person to see for a care plan.
If you don’t have a regular GP, or you’d like to get started sooner, you can book a mental health assessment with us. Your GP will talk you through your options for psychology, including what Medicare covers in your situation.
How to get a mental health care plan
- Book a longer appointment with your GP and tell them it’s about your mental health.
- Your GP assesses you and talks through what’s going on.
- If a plan is right for you, your GP prepares it and refers you to a psychologist.
- After your first sessions, you go back to your GP for a review.
Do you need a care plan to get help?
No. A care plan is one way to get help, mainly for psychology rebates. A GP can also assess you, start treatment and review you over time, with or without a care plan. For many people that’s the first step.
What our mental health assessment covers
Sources: Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Better Access initiative and Better Access fact sheets (2025–2026); MBS Online, Better Access changes from 1 November 2025. This guide is general information, not medical advice.
Care plan questions
What is a mental health care plan?
It’s a plan a GP writes after assessing your mental health. Its official name is a Mental Health Treatment Plan. With a referral, it lets you claim a Medicare rebate for sessions with a psychologist or other eligible mental health professional under the Better Access initiative.
How many sessions do I get?
Up to 10 individual and 10 group sessions each calendar year. Your first referral covers up to 6 sessions, then your GP reviews how you’re going before referring you for more.
Who can write my care plan?
Since 1 November 2025, for the Medicare rebate the plan and referral need to come from your usual GP, or the practice you’re registered with through MyMedicare.
Does a care plan make psychology free?
Not always. Medicare pays a rebate per session, and many psychologists charge more than the rebate, so you may pay a gap. Ask the psychologist about their fees before you book.
Can you help if I don’t have a regular GP?
Yes. Our GPs do a full mental health assessment and can start treatment if it’s right for you. Your GP will talk you through your options for psychology, including what Medicare covers in your situation.
Want to talk to a GP?
Request a mental health assessment and our team will call you to book.