Cost Calculator
It can be confusing to work out what healthcare costs and how you pay for it.
This page aims to inform you of your cost for mental healthcare in Australia.
- Different therapists charge different fees, so the price depends on who you see.
- If you just want a rough idea, you can pick from some of our common fees.
Health Maps aims to be a guide. We don't currently have bookings or recommendations.
Who will you be seeing?
Do you know if they're general or clinical?
Which one?
Do you know what they charge?
How long are their follow-up appointments?
Your costs
What a session costs
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- Free to $40
How Medicare Rebates Work
When you see a psychologist, mental health social worker or occupational therapist with a valid Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) and GP referral, Medicare pays back a fixed amount per session, called the rebate. The difference between the session fee and the rebate is your out-of-pocket cost (also called the "gap").
You can receive up to 10 Medicare-rebated sessions per calendar year (January–December). After your first 6 sessions, your GP needs to do a brief review before you can access sessions 7–10.
Psychiatrists work differently. You need a standard GP referral, not a Mental Health Care Plan, and there's no yearly cap on rebated sessions. The first appointment has a higher rebate than follow-ups, and follow-up rebates depend on how long the appointment is, from about $89 for 15–30 minutes up to about $190 for 45 minutes or more. The calculator uses the shorter follow-up rebate so it doesn't understate what you'll pay.
Counsellors and psychotherapists aren't covered by Medicare, so you pay the full fee and don't need a GP visit first. Fees are often lower, and some private health extras policies cover part of the cost.
On the day, you pay the full session fee upfront — any card is fine. If the clinic processes your rebate on the spot, Medicare can only pay it back onto a debit card, not a credit card. Otherwise you can claim through the Medicare app and the rebate goes to the bank account you've registered with Medicare, usually within a day or two.
Some psychologists bulk-bill, meaning they charge only the Medicare rebate amount, so your out-of-pocket cost is $0. However, bulk-billing psychologists often have longer wait times.