Psychological services can be accessed either privately or through a referral provided by a medical professional, such as a GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist through the Medicare Better Access Program. You may also be able to access psychological support, at no cost, through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), if your employer has one.
The following information regarding fees applies to appointments and services being paid for privately by the person accessing the service. Fees for services that are being paid for through a third party (e.g. Workcover, NDIS, an employee assistance program) will be charged at the recommended rates for that third party.
Current Fees
Standard Appointment
The cost of a standard 50-55 minute appointment is $140.00.
Please note that if you have appointments available under a Mental Health Treatment Plan you should be eligible for a rebate of $87.45, which leaves an out-of-pocket expense of $52.55.
Psychometric Assessment
The fees listed below cover the costs of the assessment appointment (which is usually 1-2 hours) and the costs of preparing a report regarding the results. Fees for the initial consultation appointment, feedback sessions and any follow-up appointments are the same as the standard appointment rate ($140.00).
Assessment of Intellectual Ability (WISC-V, WAIS-IV): $450.00
Assessment of Academic Achievement (WIAT-III): $450.00
Assessment of Intellectual Ability and Academic Achievement: $750.00
Personality Assessment (PAI or NEO-PI) – online, self-administered: $100.00
Adaptive Behaviour Assessment Scale (ABAS-3): $50.00 per administration
Letters & Reports
Brief Letter (one page): $80.00
Short Report (1-2 pages): $140.00
Long Reports: To be discussed with psychologist
Onsite/Home Visits
Onsite/Home visit (1 hour): $140.00
Travel: $70.00 per
Psychological services are generally exempt form GST, unless the services are paid for by a third party (e.g. an employer or a government department).
The cost of psychological assessments and reports varies considerably depending on the purpose and nature of the assessment, number of interviews required, and the number and type of psychometric tests that are administered. Please discuss your requirements with reception staff or your psychologist.
SMS or Email Reminders
An SMS text message reminder will be sent to the mobile phone number you have provided us two days prior to each appointment. Please responnd with “Yes” or “Y” to confirm that you will be attending the appointment.
Please let us know if you prefer the reminder to be sent by email instead of SMS.
Late Cancellation Policy
Please note that we need to receive at least 48 hours notice of non-attendance, otherwise a late-cancellation fee will be charged.
Cancellations within 48 hours will incur a fee of $50.00
Cancellations within 24 hours will incur a fee of $70.00
Further Information about Payment Options
Medicare Mental Health Treatment Plans
If you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, or a referral from a paediatrician or psychiatrist, you should be eligible for a Medicare rebate of $87.45 for a maximum of up to 10 consultations per calendar year.
We recommend that you discuss you eligibility and the referral with your GP or specialist prior to arranging an appointment.
After you have paid the full consultation fee ($140.00) we will process the Medicare claim and you should receive the rebate into your bank account within 24-48 hours. Occasionally the Medicare claim cannot be processed at the time of payment and you may need to submit the invoice to Medicare to claim your rebate.
Please note: after you receive the Medicare rebate the out-of-pocket cost per consultation is: $52.55.
Medicare Bulk-billing Social Work Service
Cairns Psychology Group Mental Health Social Worker, Mary Venables, provides a bulk-billing service for adults, which means that there will be no out-of-pocket expenses to be paid.
Private Health Funds
Private health funds may offer rebates for psychological consultations which can significantly decrease the cost of psychological assessment and treatment. If you have private health cover and are unsure of your entitlements, please check with your health fund prior to your initial appointment. Unfortunately, we are unable to process private health refunds directly at the time of payment.
Employee Assistance Programs
If you are referred under a workplace Employee Assistance Program (EAP) the full costs of psychological consultations will be covered by the EAP for a set number of appointments (depending on individual EAP’s). Please check with your HR department to see if you have an EAP provider and whether we are registered to provide services for them. Common EAP providers include: Eudoxia, Workforce Wellbeing, Assure Programs and Converge International.
Workcover
If you have an approved Workcover claim, you may be eligible to have your psychological appointments covered by Workcover. If you wish to be seen under Workcover, please provide us with your Workcover claim number and the name and contact number of your case worker.
Questions
How many appointments am I able to claim under a Mental Health Treatment Plan?
You are able to claim the Medicare rebate for up to 10 appointments in a calendar year.
How long is a Mental Health Treatment Plan valid for?
A referral under a Mental Health Treatment Plan is valid for up to 12 months after the date it was made by your doctor.
Is bulk billing available?
Bulk billing is only available for appointments with the social worker Mary Venables. For all other appointments you will be required to pay the full fee, including the gap between our fee and the Medicare rebate.
Are home visits available?
As well as providing bulk billing for all appointments Mary Venables also provides a home visiting service. Other psychologists at Cairns Psychology Group may do home visits or school-based observations on certain occasions.
