Mental Health Treatment Plans: What They Cover and How Medicare Helps

What to expect from your GP, how psychology referrals work, and what Medicare does — and does not — cover

If anxiety, low mood or another mental health problem is affecting your sleep, work, relationships or day-to-day life, your GP may suggest a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

You may also hear this called a Mental Health Care Plan.

The plan is not simply a piece of paper that gives you “10 psychology sessions”. Its purpose is to work out what is happening, how much support you need, what treatment is likely to help and who should be involved.

For eligible patients, it can also provide Medicare rebates for mental health treatment.

What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan?

A Mental Health Treatment Plan, or MHTP, is a structured plan prepared by an eligible doctor for someone with a clinically diagnosed mental health disorder who is likely to benefit from this approach.

Under Australia’s Better Access initiative, eligible patients can receive Medicare-supported treatment from certain mental health professionals.

• discussing your symptoms and how long they have been present
• considering possible diagnoses
• assessing how much the problem is affecting your life
• discussing your safety
• agreeing on treatment goals
• considering psychological therapy
• discussing medicines when appropriate
• looking at sleep, alcohol, drugs and physical health
• arranging follow-up
• making a referral when specialist mental health treatment is appropriate

The useful part is not the form itself. It is the conversation that helps answer:

• What is happening?
• How much is it affecting me?
• What kind of help makes sense?

Who is eligible?

Better Access is intended for people with a clinically diagnosed mental health disorder, at least moderate care needs, and a condition likely to benefit from a structured treatment approach.

• depression
• anxiety disorders
• panic disorder
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• obsessive-compulsive disorder
• some adjustment and other mental health disorders

But feeling stressed, sad or overwhelmed does not automatically mean you have a mental disorder or need a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

Sometimes the right first step is supportive GP care, improving sleep, addressing the problem causing the distress, reviewing medicines, reducing alcohol or arranging another type of support.

The plan should fit the person, not the other way around.

Do I need a diagnosis?

For Medicare-supported treatment under Better Access, yes — your GP needs to make a clinical diagnosis of a mental health disorder and decide that this pathway is appropriate.

That does not mean every diagnosis is obvious at the first appointment.

Mental health symptoms can overlap.

Poor sleep, thyroid problems, medication effects, alcohol or drug use, grief, chronic pain, relationship difficulties and physical illness can all affect mood, energy and concentration.

Your GP’s role is not simply to attach a label. It is to understand the broader picture and decide what sort of care is most likely to help.

What happens at the GP appointment?

A Mental Health Treatment Plan usually needs more time than a brief routine consultation.

• what has been happening
• your mood and anxiety
• sleep
• appetite and energy
• concentration
• work or study
• relationships
• alcohol and other drugs
• previous mental health problems
• previous treatment
• medicines
• physical health
• major stresses
• thoughts of self-harm or suicide

Some GPs use questionnaires such as depression or anxiety scales. These can help measure symptoms, but they do not replace a proper clinical assessment.

You do not need to prepare a perfect explanation.

Starting with something as simple as: “I haven’t been coping very well lately.” is enough to begin the conversation.

What can Medicare help pay for?

Under Better Access, an eligible patient with a Mental Health Treatment Plan and valid referral can currently claim Medicare benefits for up to:

• 10 individual mental health treatment services per calendar year
• 10 group mental health treatment services per calendar year
• clinical psychologists
• registered psychologists
• eligible social workers
• eligible occupational therapists

Some appropriately trained GPs can also provide focused psychological strategies.

The individual and group limits are separate.

A calendar year runs from 1 January to 31 December.

Do I automatically get 10 psychology sessions?

No.

This is one of the most common misunderstandings.

A Mental Health Treatment Plan does not automatically issue 10 sessions at once.

The first individual referral can generally be for up to six services. After that course of treatment, your GP can review your progress and, if further treatment is appropriate, refer you for the remaining services up to the annual Medicare limit of 10.

• Initial referral: up to 6 sessions
• Further referral: up to 4 more that calendar year

The exact number referred should reflect your treatment needs.

Some people improve after a few sessions. Others may need the full Medicare-supported allocation or longer-term care outside the Better Access subsidy.

Does Medicare make psychology free?

Not necessarily.

Medicare pays a rebate towards an eligible service.

Psychologists and other mental health professionals set their own fees. Some may bulk bill, but many charge more than the Medicare rebate.

That means you may have an out-of-pocket cost.

• What is the full consultation fee?
• What Medicare rebate applies?
• What will my gap payment be?
• Is a reduced fee available if cost is difficult?

A Mental Health Treatment Plan gives eligible patients access to a Medicare rebate. It is not a guarantee of free psychology.

Can I choose my psychologist?

Usually, yes.

Your GP may recommend someone because of their experience with a particular problem, location, availability or treatment style.

But the fit between you and your therapist matters.

• experience with your particular problem
• treatment approach
• cost
• availability
• face-to-face versus telehealth
• whether you feel comfortable talking with them

If the first match does not work well, discuss it with your GP. Changing clinicians does not mean therapy itself has failed.

Many Better Access services can also be provided by telehealth when clinically appropriate and Medicare eligibility requirements are met. Ask your GP or treating clinician whether telehealth is suitable and whether a Medicare rebate applies.

What actually happens in therapy?

That depends on the problem and the clinician.

Psychological treatment is more than simply talking about how your week went.

• understand patterns in thoughts and behaviour
• develop ways to manage anxiety
• change avoidance behaviours
• work through trauma
• improve problem-solving
• manage difficult emotions
• improve sleep
• develop healthier routines
• understand relationships
• practise new skills between appointments

The work is often collaborative.

A good question to ask your therapist is: “What are we working on, and how will we know if this is helping?”

What happens after the plan is prepared?

A Mental Health Treatment Plan does not expire.

It should be treated as a living document and reviewed or updated as needed.

A completely new plan is generally only prepared when clinically required, and usually not within 12 months of the previous plan unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Since November 2025, GPs generally use ordinary time-based consultation items to review your plan, provide ongoing mental health care and make further referrals where appropriate.

So you may no longer hear the appointment described as a special “Mental Health Plan Review”, but follow-up still matters.

Preparation of the plan, referrals and ongoing management should generally come from your usual medical practitioner, or from a GP at your MyMedicare-registered practice where applicable.

The practical message is simple: You do not need a brand-new plan every calendar year just because January has arrived.

Do I need medication as well?

Not necessarily.

A Mental Health Treatment Plan does not mean you need an antidepressant or another medicine.

• the diagnosis
• symptom severity
• how long symptoms have been present
• previous treatment
• other medical conditions
• your preferences
• risk and safety
• how much your symptoms are affecting your life

For some people, psychological therapy may be the main treatment.

For others, medication and therapy work well together.

Some people need specialist psychiatric care or more intensive mental health services.

The plan should reflect what you actually need, rather than assuming one treatment suits everyone.

What if 10 sessions are not enough?

Ten Medicare-supported individual services are an annual subsidy limit, not a statement that every mental health condition should be resolved in 10 appointments.

Some people need fewer. Others need much more.

• continuing privately with your psychologist
• reviewing the treatment approach
• GP-based mental health care
• psychiatry
• community mental health services
• other government-funded mental health programmes
• condition-specific services
• more intensive treatment when needed

Better Access is one part of the mental health system, not the whole system.

A common misconception

MYTH: A Mental Health Treatment Plan gives everyone 10 free psychology sessions.

REALITY: Eligible patients can access Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual mental health treatment services each calendar year. The first referral is generally for up to six sessions, and providers may charge a gap above the Medicare rebate.

Questions patients commonly ask

Do I have to be severely unwell to qualify?

No.

Better Access is intended for people with diagnosed mental health disorders requiring at least moderate support, including many people with anxiety or depression.

You do not need to wait until you are in crisis before discussing your mental health with your GP.

Can I ask my GP for a plan?

Yes.

But the appointment is an assessment, not simply a request for a referral.

Your GP still needs to decide whether you have an eligible mental health disorder and whether a Mental Health Treatment Plan is the right pathway.

What if I have unused sessions from last year?

An unused referral may continue into the following calendar year, but any sessions you use in the new year count towards that year’s Medicare limit.

You do not automatically need a new Mental Health Treatment Plan on 1 January.

Can I see a psychiatrist instead?

Sometimes.

Psychiatrists have a different role from psychologists and can be particularly useful when the diagnosis is uncertain, symptoms are severe or complex, medicines require specialist input, or initial treatment is not working.

A psychiatrist referral and a Mental Health Treatment Plan are not interchangeable.

Can my GP keep helping after I start seeing a psychologist?

Absolutely.

Mental health care often works best when psychological therapy, physical healthcare, medicines where relevant and ongoing GP care remain connected.

How to prepare for the GP appointment

You do not need to prepare a speech.

It can help to think about:

1. What has changed?
2. How long has this been happening?
3. How is it affecting sleep, work, relationships or daily life?
4. What have I already tried?
5. What would I most like to improve?

Tell your GP about alcohol or drug use, medicines and supplements, even if you think they are unrelated.

And say clearly if you have been thinking about harming yourself or feel you may not be safe.

That information changes what kind of care is appropriate.

When to seek urgent help

Mental health problems can become urgent.

Seek urgent or same-day medical assessment if your mental state is deteriorating quickly, you are becoming unable to care for yourself, or you are concerned that you may harm yourself or someone else.

Call 000 or seek emergency care now if there is an immediate risk to your safety or someone else’s safety.

Do not wait for a planned Mental Health Treatment Plan appointment if you need urgent help.

Start with one action

If your mental health has been affecting everyday life and you are unsure where to begin, book a GP appointment and say:

“I’d like to talk properly about my mental health and what treatment options might help.”

You do not need to know in advance whether you need psychology, medication or a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

Working that out is part of the consultation.

The bottom line

A Mental Health Treatment Plan is not simply a referral form.

It is a structured way of assessing a mental health problem, agreeing on treatment and coordinating care.

For eligible Australians, Better Access can provide Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual and 10 group mental health treatment services per calendar year.

But the most important questions are not: “How many sessions can I get?”

• What is happening?
• What kind of treatment is most likely to help?
• How will we know whether I am getting better?

Related Q Guides

• MyMedicare: What Registering With Your GP Practice Actually Means
• Antidepressants and Anxiety Medicines: What to Expect When You Start