Telehealth & Medicare Rebates
What is Telehealth ?
Telehealth refers to any therapy delivered online (via video or telephone). Online therapy removes barriers and opens up flexibility in terms of who you may choose to work with and where (and when) you might access this treatment.
In Australia, Medicare rebates (10 rebates per year) apply for all psychology sessions held via Telehealth.
Telehealth is an approved as a valid method of service delivery for DVA Gold Card Holders, NDIS recipients, and WorkCover claims. Private Insurance also accepts Telehealth as a valid treatment modality (depending on your level of cover).
GP and Psychiatry consultations are also eligible for Medicare rebates, independent of the 10 rebates you are entitled to for Psychology sessions.
Benefits of Online Therapy:
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Extensive research (outlined below) has found online therapy to be just as effective as face-to-face therapy.
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Telehealth improves access to psychological support by removing geographical barriers
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You can choose to work with any Specialist regardless of their location
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Telehealth removes the need to commute to an appointments thereby providing more flexibility and convenience.
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For Australian citizens, Medicare provides rebates for up to 10 sessions of Telehealth per year.
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Access quality psychological support, no matter where you live.
Is Online Therapy Effective ?
Yes absolutely. Working online during the Covid-19 pandemic has spawned hundreds of studies into the effectiveness of therapy delivered online versus in-person. This research consistently demonstrates that online therapy is equally as effective as traditional in-person therapy. Below, you’ll find a concise summary along with external links to this research:
- Results of a 2020 study of 4336 therapy attendees found that there were no differences between outcomes of mental health services delivered via video and therapy delivered in-person. These results were obtained across a range of psychological problems and across a range of outcome measures.
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This is supported by a large body of research conduced prior to the Covid-19 pandemic that has consistently found no difference in outcomes between online versus in-person therapy for adults, adolescents and children treated for depression, anxiety, trauma, eating problems, and substance abuse. Moreover, therapy delivered via video is also associated with a greater utilization of and fewer dropouts from mental health care.
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Research spanning decades, across various countries and cultures, consistently finds the quality of the therapeutic relationship, also known as the ‘Therapeutic Alliance,’ to be the most robust predictor of therapy success, irrespective of the therapeutic modality employed. A recent meta-analysis encompassing data from over 30,000 individuals, reaffirms this, highlighting that the strength of the Therapeutic Alliance remains paramount in determining therapeutic outcomes, regardless of whether therapy is conducted in-person or online.
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Although Telehealth may not suit everyone, most people report they find it more convenient than travelling to / from a doctor’s office for appointments. People also report that they can find it easier than speaking in-person (e.g., compared to meeting in-person, phone sessions remove any need to think about how you ‘look’ and sessions held via video do not require you to maintain eye contact).
In recognition of the effectiveness of online therapy, Medicare now provide 10 rebates annually. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the NDIS also recognise online therapy as an effective and valid mode of treatment.
Do Medicare Rebates Apply ?
Yes absolutely! You can receive Medicare Rebates working with any psychologist in Australia via Telehealth. All Medicare card holders are eligible to receive rebates for up to 10 sessions per year.
In addition, rebates for Telehealth are also possible for GP and Psychiatry Consultations, DVA Gold Card Holders, NDIS recipients, WorkCover claims, and Private Health psychology sessions (double check with your individual policy or insurer).
These services are all independent of the 10 rebates that you can claim through Medicare for psychology sessions.
More about Medicare Rebates:
- You must have a valid Medicare card.
- You must get a GP referral and a Mental Health Treatment Plan which will be valid for 6 sessions (you can use this to see any psychologist you choose: in-person or via Telehealth)
- After 6 sessions, you must return to your GP for a ‘Review of your Plan’. This Review gives you rebates for 4 more sessions (a total of 10 rebates).
- You can receive up to rebates for up to 10 sessions per year.
Summary
- Online therapy is as effective as in-person therapy.
- Telehealth enables you to work with any psychologist in Australia that you choose.
- Eliminating travel time to/from appointments gives you more choice around when (and where) your sessions occur.
- Australians are eligible for up to 10 Medicare rebates per year for sessions held via Telehealth.
- If you already have a Mental Health Treatment Plan / referral to see a specific psychologist, know you can use this with any psychologist in Australia (it simply unlocks the ability for you to receive Medicare Rebates).
To book an appointment, please contact me below.
If you are new to therapy, or if you are interested in working together, I have written the following article to help you get the most out of therapy. It contains useful information that will be relevant, regardless of whether or not we work together. For a list of all self-help articles I have written, please visit this page.
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