Clinic Fees

All potential patients are sent a very clear list of fees which they confirm and consent to paying, prior to booking any appointments. When you rebook your appointments online, the current fee is clearly displayed. If you have a current referral from your GP, you are likely to be eligible for a medicare rebate for any attended appointments during this period of care, which will be rebated to you from Medicare after your appointment has been attended and your fee is paid.

We strive to keep our fees reasonable while providing an optimal service.

We are unable to bulk bill or offer a standard concession discount.

Please remember that once you reach the safety net, a full 50 minute review or therapy appointment will cost approximately $67 out of pocket (i.e. You pay the full fee to the clinic, Medicare pays your insured amount back into your nominated bank account, this insured amount should cover most of the fee apart from a remaining 'out of pocket' fee).

You are able to see a psychiatrist weekly still get the full rebate, as long as you have a valid referral from your GP to see a psychiatrist.

Why are psychiatric appointments longer and more frequent than other specialist appointments?

Psychiatric care is structured as an episode of care under Medicare, following a referral from your GP. This means that appointments are designed to provide a comprehensive, specialist-level standard of care.

Specialist psychiatrists are responsible for assessing mental health symptoms in depth, formulating a treatment plan, reviewing progress, co-ordinating care with other providers (such as GPs, psychologists and care teams), and responding to changes in mental state. To do this safely and effectively, appointments need to be longer and scheduled at clinically appropriate intervals.

This model is about ensuring that the care provided meets the medical, ethical and legal standards required of a specialist. It reflects the seriousness and complexity of psychiatric conditions, and ensures that each patient receives the time, attention and expertise they deserve.

Why don't you have a standard discount rate for concession card holders or low income families?

We understand that the cost of care can be a burden and we do not take that lightly.

We are unable to bulk bill and cover business operating costs.

Why Do Psychiatric Services Cost So Much?

Athelas Psychiatry is a small privately-run practice committed to delivering high-quality, personalised mental health care. We understand that the cost of psychiatric services can feel high, and we want to be transparent about why this is the case.

Psychiatric care involves more than just the time spent in an appointment. Unlike bulk-billed services, which are limited by strict time and funding constraints, private psychiatric care allows for comprehensive assessments, collaboration with families and other providers, and continuity of care over time.

Unfortunately, Medicare rebates only cover a portion of the true cost, and public psychiatric services remain stretched and difficult to access.

Like solicitors, accountants, plumbers, and other service-based professionals, medical clinics must set fees that reflect both the expertise provided and the true cost of operating safely, ethically, and legally.

Understanding Our Fee Structure

At Athelas Psychiatry, the fee you pay on the day is the sole source of income for the clinic. We do not receive any additional funding from Medicare or other organisations.

Each doctor in the clinic is an independent practitioner. From the fee you pay:

A significant portion goes towards essential operating costs, including administration, rent, insurance, software, and support staff.
The remaining amount is used by the doctor to cover their professional costs, such as medical registration, ongoing training, supervision, and insurance.
After these expenses, the remainder becomes the doctor’s income.

It’s important to understand that the doctor receives only a small portion of the total fee as income.

How the Medicare Safety Net Can Help

Medicare offers some additional financial support for families through the Extended Medicare Safety Net (EMSN). Once your out-of-pocket medical expenses for the year reach a certain threshold, Medicare increases the rebate it pays.

For 2025, the EMSN threshold for most families is $2,615.50.

After this, Medicare will refund 80% of your out-of-pocket costs (i.e., the gap between the full fee and the standard Medicare rebate) or up to a capped amount per service — whichever is lower.

Example:

If your appointment fee is $520 and the regular Medicare rebate is $184.90:

Your out-of-pocket cost (the "gap" fee) is $335.10
Once you’ve reached the EMSN threshold, Medicare will rebate you an additional 80% of that gap, reducing your actual expense significantly.
- This means that in addition to the rebate of $184.90 you would receive an additional $268.08 (80% of the gap fee), a total of $452.98.
- In summary, you still pay $520 to the doctor for the service and then Medicare pays you your insured amount of $452.98, meaning that in the end, the appointment costs you $67.02.

To benefit from this:

Download the myGov app
Confirm your family group for the calendar year
Keep track of your Medicare statements or call Medicare to check your progress

For more information, visit the Medicare Safety Net factsheet.

Does the Medicare Rebate Cover the Cost of Psychiatric Care?

Unfortunately, no — Medicare only covers a portion of the true cost of psychiatric services. The gap between what Medicare provides and the real cost of delivering specialist care means that most Australians are effectively under-insured when it comes to mental health.

Psychiatric care involves significant clinical responsibility, long consultations, and complex documentation. Medicare rebates have not kept pace with inflation, costs of operation, or the expertise involved. As a result, families are left paying substantial out-of-pocket fees for necessary care.

We know this system isn’t working — and we’re advocating for change.

Have We Done Anything to Fix This?

Yes. As a small medical practice, we have written to local and federal MPs to raise our concerns. We’ve highlighted the growing gap between the rebate and the true cost of care, and requested practical support to ensure:

Small medical businesses remain viable
Patients can access consistent, high-quality care outside of crisis-based public or NGO models
The burden does not continue to shift unfairly onto families

We care deeply about our patients — many of whom would simply go without care if they had to rely solely on the overstretched public system.

Were Psychiatrists Included in the Recent Bulk Billing Incentives?

No — psychiatrists were not included in the bulk billing incentive increases announced in the 2023–24 Federal Budget.

In November 2023, the Australian Government introduced a tripled bulk billing incentive for GPs providing certain services to children under 16, pensioners, and concession card holders. These changes were aimed at improving access to general practitioners in areas of need — but they apply only to general practice, not to other medical specialists such as psychiatrists.

As a result:

Psychiatrists did not receive any increase in Medicare bulk billing incentives.
Specialist care continues to be underfunded relative to its cost, especially in complex, long-form consultations like those in psychiatry.
Private psychiatrists must continue setting fees that reflect clinical, legal, and operational realities, as Medicare rebates alone do not cover these costs.

This gap between rebates and true cost contributes to out-of-pocket fees in private psychiatric care.

We remain committed to advocating for fairer Medicare funding for psychiatric care, and encourage patients and families to voice their concerns to local MPs or the Federal Health Minister.

Source:

Department of Health and Aged Care – Upcoming Changes to Bulk Billing Incentives in General Practice

What Can I Do If I Can’t Afford Private Care?

If private psychiatry is unaffordable, there are still options:

Accessing Government-Funded Mental Health Care

The Australian Government has recently rebranded its Medicare Mental Health clinics to improve access to free or low-cost services. These clinics can provide:

Support from psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, or care coordinators
Free mental health care for people who meet certain criteria

However, they do not typically provide direct access to psychiatrists.

You can ask your GP about, or directly contact:

Head to Health clinics
Medicare Mental Health
Your local Primary Health Network services
NGOs or telehealth providers funded through federal mental health initiatives

While these can be helpful for some, they’re not a replacement for medical psychiatric care and this should also be available.

Advocate for Fairer Support

We encourage families to write to their State and Federal Health Ministers to:

Request higher Medicare rebates for psychiatric care
Lower the Extended Medicare Safety Net threshold so more Australians get timely support
Protect access to private care as a crucial part of the healthcare system
Provide greater access and availability of public state-run services.

Medicare could be be a system that supports all Australians to access the level of care they need, when they need it.

What If We No Longer Need Psychiatric Care?

This is a positive outcome. If your condition is stable or no longer requires medical psychiatric oversight, we fully support a transition back to your GP.

There is no obligation to remain under specialist care "just in case." In fact, we encourage stepped-down care when appropriate. We’re happy to provide:

A formal discharge letter summarising treatment
Recommendations for follow-up or community supports
Information for your GP to continue care confidently

Our goal is not to keep families in care unnecessarily, but to support them during periods when specialist input is genuinely needed.