Are the 10 Medicare psychology sessions free?

What does Medicare pay, and what do you pay?

Medicare pays $101.55 towards each session of at least 50 minutes with a registered psychologist, and you pay whatever is left of the psychologist's fee. Better Access is a rebate scheme: Medicare sets a schedule fee for each kind of session, $119.45 for this one, and pays 85% of it back to you. The rebate is the same whether the session is in a consulting room (MBS item 80110) or by video (MBS item 91170).

Psychologists set their own fees, and many charge more than the schedule fee. The difference between the fee and the rebate is what you pay, often called the gap or the out-of-pocket cost. At Telehealth Psychology Australia (THPA) the session fee is $230, which works out like this.

The rebate is set by Medicare, is current at the time of writing (schedule of 1 July 2026) and can change. Another psychologist's fee, and so the gap, will be different.

When is a session actually free?

A session costs you nothing when the psychologist bulk-bills it. That means they accept the Medicare rebate as full payment and send the claim to Medicare themselves, so you are not charged a gap.

Bulk-billing is the psychologist's choice, session by session. Some practices offer it to everyone, some only to people with a concession card or in financial hardship, and many do not offer it. The only way to know is to ask before you book: "Do you bulk-bill, and if not, what will I pay after the rebate?"

Our sessions are not bulk-billed. We say so here, and on our Medicare page, so that nobody finds out at the first appointment. If the fee is the thing stopping you, tell us when you get in touch: a reduced fee is sometimes possible, decided case by case.

What does "10 sessions" mean?

It means Medicare will pay a rebate towards up to 10 individual sessions in a calendar year, not that 10 sessions are provided at no cost.

• Up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year. The year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Sessions you do not use do not carry over.
• They come in two parts. A first referral covers up to 6 sessions. After those you see your GP for a review, and if more support is needed the GP can refer you for the rest, up to 10 in the year.
• The limit is per person. Each member of a family has their own 10.
• Group therapy is counted separately. Medicare also rebates up to 10 group sessions a year. THPA offers individual sessions only.
• Ten is a ceiling, not a course of treatment. Some people need fewer sessions and some need more. How many you have is something you, your GP and your psychologist work out as you go.

What do you need before the first rebated session?

You need two documents from a GP before the first rebated session: a Mental Health Treatment Plan (many people still call it a Mental Health Care Plan) and a referral letter. Since 1 November 2025 they need to come from a GP at the practice you are enrolled with in MyMedicare, or from your usual GP. A psychiatrist or paediatrician can also refer you directly.

Without them you can still see a psychologist, but Medicare pays nothing towards the session and you pay the full fee. Our Medicare page walks through the GP steps.

Can the Medicare Safety Nets lower the cost?

Yes, the Medicare Safety Nets can lower what you pay for psychology, but only later in a year in which you have had a lot of out-of-hospital medical costs. There are two, both counted across everything you claim through Medicare outside hospital in the calendar year, not psychology alone.

• Original Medicare Safety Net. This counts the difference between the schedule fee and the rebate, which is $17.90 for each of these psychology sessions. Once those differences reach $594.40 in 2026, Medicare pays the full schedule fee ($119.45 here) for the rest of the year. Ten psychology sessions add $179.00 towards it, so psychology alone will not get you there.
• Extended Medicare Safety Net. This counts what you pay out of pocket. Once that reaches $2,699.10 in 2026, or $861.20 for concession card holders and families who receive Family Tax Benefit Part A, Medicare pays back 80% of further out-of-pocket costs for the rest of the year, up to a cap that applies to each item.

Individuals are counted automatically. Couples and families need to register as a family with Services Australia so their costs are added together. The thresholds change every 1 January; Services Australia lists the current ones.

What if the gap is out of reach?

If the gap is out of reach, there are free services that need no referral, starting with Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212. A rebate that still leaves a gap is not affordable for everyone.

• Medicare Mental Health. A free national service. Call 1800 595 212 between 8.30am and 5pm on weekdays to be connected with support near you, or walk into a Medicare Mental Health Centre. You do not need a referral, an appointment or a Mental Health Treatment Plan. The centres are not a crisis service.
• Your GP. Ask whether there is a free or low-cost psychology service funded by your local Primary Health Network. GPs refer to these directly, and eligibility varies by region.
• A psychologist who bulk-bills. When you call a practice, ask the bulk-billing question above before you book.
• Other funding. If you are an NDIS participant, hold a DVA Gold or White Card, or have an accepted WorkCover Queensland claim, psychology may be funded another way, without a Medicare gap.

If you need to talk to someone now, the crisis lines at the bottom of this page are free and open 24 hours.

How does it work at THPA?

At THPA you pay the $230 fee at the time of your session, and Medicare pays $101.55 of it back to you, usually within a few days.

• You pay the $230 fee at the time of your session.
• We lodge the Medicare claim for you after each session, with no paperwork from you.
• Medicare pays the $101.55 rebate into the bank account you have registered with Medicare, usually within a few days.
• Your out-of-pocket cost is $128.45 per session.

Every session is by secure video and runs for 50 minutes. You need to be in Australia at the time of the session for the rebate to apply.

What happens after the 10 sessions?

After the 10 sessions you can keep seeing your psychologist, but Medicare will not pay a rebate for further individual sessions until 1 January, so there is no rebate to offset the fee. Our standard fee is $230.

How sessions are spaced depends on the person. Some people start weekly and then move to fortnightly, which can make the rebated sessions last further through the year. Raise it with your psychologist early, not at session nine, so you can plan the year together.