Taking control of your mental health
If you’re living with a mental illness, you may be able to access Medicare rebates that reduce – or sometimes completely cover – the cost of seeing a psychologist.
And where Medicare rebates don’t apply or have limits, private health insurance can step in to help with the cost of appointments.
How to find the right mental health support?
Your GP can coordinate the treatment of mild mental health issues by providing practical advice, referring you to a psychologist, mental health professional, or psychiatrist, or prescribing medication.
If you don’t have a regular GP, this provider search tool is a great place to start.
These mental health supports are available around the clock, Australia-wide:
- Lifeline Australia offers crisis support 24/7 on 13 11 14.
- Beyond Blue provides 24-hour phone support alongside online chat, email and community forums and links to professionals.
Does private health insurance cover mental health?
Private health insurance can supplement the rebates you are entitled to from Medicare. It can cover you in two ways:
- Psychiatric (inpatient care); Frank's Gold Hospital covers psychiatric treatment in a private hospital. There is a two-month waiting period, but you may be eligible to have this waived (see Mental Health Waiver below).
- Mental health (outpatient care); some Frank extras covers include psychology and/or mental health support and can help cover the cost of appointments when you are no longer eligible to claim with Medicare.
If you need some assistance figuring out health insurance with psychology and mental health support benefits or cover for inpatient psychiatric services, or just want to know more about our hospital and extras covers, please get in touch.
What is the Mental Health Waiver?
The Mental Health Waiver is a government-initiated waiting period exemption that gives people with limited hospital cover the chance to upgrade to a policy that includes in‑hospital psychiatric services – without needing to serve the usual two‑month waiting period.
It’s important to know this exemption can only be used once in a person’s lifetime.
To qualify, you’ll need to have already completed the initial two‑month waiting period for restricted psychiatric benefits on your hospital cover. The waiver only removes the extra two‑month wait for in‑hospital psychiatric care – any other waiting periods on your cover will still apply.
Find out more about how the Mental Health Waiver works.
If you or someone you know needs support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
