What do I need to book my first Medicare session?
You need 3 things before you can claim a Medicare rebate - a valid Medicare card, a Mental Health Plan from your GP and a referral from your GP before your first session.
If you don't already have these, you can book a fully bulk-billed GP appointment today to get them online.
You’re entitled to 10 rebated sessions per calendar year. Your first referral covers 6 sessions, after which you’ll need a GP check-in to access the remaining 4.
After each session we will process your Medicare claim for you and your rebate will be paid directly back into your bank account.
If you would rather see a psychologist without Medicare you can simply book a session with any of our therapists now.
Can I get a referral and Mental Health Plan online?
Yes, you can book a fully bulk-billed appointment with our partner GP, Hola Health. They will prepare a Mental Health Plan and referral for you so you can access Medicare rebates.
You may also book an appointment with your local GP and then either upload your documents to your Talked account or ask your GP to send them to referrals@talked.com.au.
Once we've received your referral from the GP, we will notify you by email and your rebates will be processed for you after each psychology session.
What happens during a GP appointment for a Mental Health Plan?
During the appointment your GP will ask you a series of questions about your mental health, often they will use either a K10 or DASS-21 assessment tool, which helps them gauge your level of distress.
They will ask you questions such as "about how often do you feel nervous?". Answer these questions the best that you can, there is no wrong or right answer, your GP is simply trying to understand your situation.
After the assessment your GP will produce 2 documents:
- a mental health plan which will include your results and the recommendation to see a psychologist
- and a referral for 6 therapy sessions
Your GP will either email you the documents, print them out or send them directly to us.
Your GP can make your referral out to "Talked Psychology", which will allow you to book a session with any of our psychologists.
How do I select a psychologist for my referral?
During your GP appointment you can let them know that you have found a therapist on Talked and they can make your referral out to "Talked Psychology".
Even if there is a specific therapist listed on your referral you can still get Medicare rebates when you book with a different therapist. Your referral can be used with any of our therapists so find the right one for you. You may also switch therapists at any point without the need for a new referral.
If you already have a referral for a different psychologist or service you can still use that referral to get a rebate with any of our psychologists and social workers, you do not need to get a new referral.
Once you have your referral you can upload it to your Talked account after you've booked an appointment.
Do I still need to pay for the session?
Yes. While you can book sessions with no upfront payment, you will be charged for sessions 48 hours before each appointment. After each session, we will then process your Medicare claim for you, and you'll be paid the rebated amount directly into your bank account.
If you are looking for bulk billing sessions please get in touch with us to see if we can accommodate you.
Does my referral or Mental Health Plan expire?
No, neither of these documents expire, however you are only entitled to 10 rebated sessions per calendar year.
As long as you haven't used all the sessions specified on your referral, then you may upload it to your Talked account and book a session with any of our psychologists.
Will you process my Medicare claim for me?
Yes, after each session we will process your Medicare claim for you and you'll be paid the rebate amount back into your bank account a few days later.
You must ensure that your Mental Health Plan and referral are all still valid or Medicare will not accept your claim.
