What is Bulk-Billed Psychology?
Bulk billing is a payment option where your psychologist bills Medicare directly for your session. This means you don’t have to pay anything out of pocket—Medicare covers the full cost.
Medicare currently offers 10 psychology sessions per calendar year under a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your GP. If you see one of our bulk billing psychologists, these 10 sessions will be provided at no cost to you.
If you choose to see one of our more experienced or specialist clinical psychologists, you’ll still receive a Medicare rebate, which helps reduce the cost of each session." then have a button that says "find the right fit" which takes them to the bulk billing vs gap fee psychologist section of the page
Bulk Billed Vs Gap Fee
What's the difference?"
At The Harvest Clinic, we offer psychology sessions that are fully covered by Medicare, so if you're eligible, you won’t need to pay anything. These bulk billed sessions are with our qualified psychologists who provide caring, professional support. If you’d prefer to see one of our more experienced psychologists—like a Clinical Psychologist or Psychologists with more specialist training—there’s an out of pocket fee of $65 to $100 after the Medicare rebate. Even then, it’s still much cheaper than the standard rate of $315 recommended by the Australian Psychological Society.
Bulk Billing sessions might be right for you if
You are experiencing financial
hardship
You're new to therapy and want to get started without financial barriers
You'd prefer to prioritise affordability
while still receiving professional support
You're looking for evidence- based care
Gap Fee sessions might be
right for you if
You value working with a highly experienced or specialist psychologist
You've tried therapy before but
are looking for deeper, lasting progress
You're facing complex or long- standing challenges that need tailored support
You want access to advanced,
evidence-based therapeuticapproaches
Which Option Should I Choose?
Still not sure which one to choose?
Think of it like taking your car to a mechanic. All qualified mechanics can service your vehicle, change the oil, fix the brakes, and keep things running smoothly. That’s like our bulk billed psychologists—they’re fully trained, registered, and equipped to support a wide range of mental health needs.
But sometimes, your car has a complex issue. Maybe it’s been misfiring for a while, or other fixes haven’t worked. That’s when you might go to a specialist—someone with years of experience, who’s worked on that exact model before, or who’s trained in high-performance tuning. That’s our gap fee psychologists—they bring deeper expertise, advanced qualifications, and experience with complex, longstanding, or specialised concerns like trauma or neurodivergence.
If you’re after accessible, high-quality support, a bulk billed clinician is a great place to start. But if things have felt stuck or you’re dealing with something more specific, a gap fee clinician might be the better fit.
How to get a Mental Health Care Plan without the wait
To ease the process of getting a Mental Health Care Plan we've partnered with Uniwell Health, a trusted Australia-based telehealth GP Clinic with immediate availability.
To book your consultation, please visit Uniwell.Health
Patients requiring a new plan should select the “Mental Health Treatment Plan (Bulk Billing)” option.
Patients needing a review should select the “Mental Health Treatment Plan-Review (Bulk Billing)” option.
Step 2
Attend your appointment and receive your referral on the same day.
Step 3
Uniwell Health will send us the Referral and we can book you in directly.
FAQs
-
What’s the difference between seeing a psychologist who bulk bills and one who charges a gap fee?The main difference lies in the psychologist's level of experience and specialization. Psychologists who bulk bill may be early-career or general psychologists, still providing high-quality, evidence-based care. Psychologists who charge a gap often have additional qualifications, clinical training, or specialist expertise (e.g., trauma, complex presentations, or specific populations). No matter who you see, all psychologists at The Harvest Clinic are fully registered and work under strict professional standards.
-
What if I’ve already seen another psychologist this year?You may still have unused sessions you can use at The Harvest Clinic. Medicare tracks the number of sessions per calendar year, not the provider. Let us know how many you’ve used and we’ll help you make the most of what’s left.
-
Do you bulk bill telehealth sessions?Yes! We offer bulk billed telehealth appointments Australia-wide. You can speak with a qualified psychologist from the comfort of your home, making it easier to get support if you're juggling work, parenting, or live in a rural/remote area.
-
Am I eligible for bulk billing?Yes, if you: Have a valid Mental Health Care Plan or Eating Disorder Treatment Plan from a GP or psychiatrist Hold a current Medicare card Some of our psychologists may have additional eligibility criteria (e.g., for concession card holders, low-income earners, students, etc.). Contact our admin team to check your eligibility.
-
How do I get a Mental Health Care Plan?Book a longer appointment with your GP (either in person or via telehealth if your GP offers it). They will assess your mental health needs and, if appropriate, provide a referral and a Mental Health Care Plan for psychology services.
-
Do all of your psychologists bulk bill?Not all. At The Harvest Clinic, many of our psychologists do offer fully bulk billed sessions, especially for clients facing financial hardship. However, some of our more experienced or specialist psychologists charge a small gap fee due to their advanced training and years of experience. The Australian Psychological Society (APS) recommends a fee of $315 per 50-minute session, but our psychologists who charge a gap keep their fees far below this – typically, just a $65 gap after the Medicare rebate, making high-quality care more accessible.
-
What documents do I need to provide before my telehealth appointment?Before your first session, please send us: A copy of your Mental Health Care Plan or Eating Disorder Treatment Plan Your referral letter Your Medicare card details These can be emailed to our admin team. If you’re unsure how to do this, we’ll walk you through it when booking.
-
How many sessions can I get bulk billed?Up to 10 sessions per year under a Mental Health Care Plan Up to 40 sessions per year under an Eating Disorder Treatment Plan You’ll need a review from your GP partway through the plan (usually after 6 sessions) to access additional sessions.
-
Do I need a new referral every year?Yes. A Mental Health Care Plan is valid for one calendar year, and you'll need a new referral to continue accessing Medicare-covered sessions in the following year.
-
What is bulk billing?Bulk billing means we bill Medicare directly for your psychology session, so there’s no out-of-pocket cost to you—your session is fully covered by Medicare if you're eligible.
-
Can children or teens access bulk billed sessions?Yes, absolutely. We have psychologists who specialise in working with children and adolescents. With a valid referral and Medicare card, children can access bulk billed telehealth or low-gap sessions, depending on their needs and eligibility.
-
Can I still see a psychologist if I’m not eligible for bulk billing?Yes, we offer affordable private sessions and can also help you claim rebates through your private health fund (if applicable). Just contact us and we’ll walk you through your options.
-
Can I cancel my program part way through?The programs are non-refundable however you are able to defer the sessions remaining on your program to a later date. For example, if you have signed up to the 8-week 'IMPACT' program, and completed 4 of your 6 psychology sessions but are unable to proceed further with the program at this particular time, your remaining 2 sessions will remain on our system for you to utilize at a later date. We do not offer refunds for cancellations however. Subscriptions to Diet Doctor will still expire 12 months after your commencement date as these cannot be paused unfortunately.
-
Can I book extra sessions with someone if I need?The THRIVE program is built around you and your needs. Our packages provide you with a base number of sessions however if you and your practitioner feel that it is beneficial you may desire to book in additional sessions or request additional tests or program modifications. These can be negotiated and discussed as you work through the program and can be paid for as requested at the nominal fee.
-
Do all your therapists Bulk Bill?Many of our therapists offer bulk-billing services while others charge a gap fee. Our gap fee therapists have extensive experience and specialize in various areas and are more suited to clients experiencing chronic or more significant mental health challenges. Rest assured, our bulk-billing therapists have also been hand-picked for their experience and skill level and are fully qualified to work with you also.
-
Is Couples Therapy covered by Medicare?Unfortunately Medicare does not currently cover costs associated with couples therapy. Some private health agencies may provide such cover. If you wish to obtain private health rebates for couples therapy, please check with your insurance agency to confirm if this is possible prior to booking in
-
What if I get to the end of my program and I want to continue for longer?You're more than welcome to continue into another 4,8 or 16-week package, or alternatively if there is availability you may prefer to book individual sessions with your practitioners as needed. This program is designed to be individualised and we encourage all guests on the program to speak to their practitioners to work out what would be the best options for them moving forward when they come near to the end of their program.
-
I don't have any mental health issues is this for me?Absolutely, in this program we consider that mental wellbeing isn't just the absence of suffering, but a process of continuing towards defining and living out the things that matter most to us...and putting ourselves in the best physical condition to get there. You will be able to take various tests and analyses to check your current health overall and look at what the next step for you is to improve your mental and physical health overall.
-
What if I have a medical condition or taking prescription medications?This isn't a pre-set or predetermined program, but rather each practitioner will create a program that suits your individual circumstances - we build the program around you. We do have an Integrative GP on our team who can advise on your program and work with our Naturopath & Nutritionist wherever needed. We encourage you to raise any concerns or reservations you may have as we want to help you feel at ease about improving your health and doing this in a safe and sensible way.
-
I was thinking of doing a health retreat, will this be the same?Most of the practitioners in this program have worked extensively at health retreats in Australia and across the world. Health retreats are a great way to kickstart your health, yet our experience has been that many people slide slowly back to old habits of poor health after returning home. Our hope here is to create gradual and enduring positive changes to your health that continues even after the program finishes. This program will include the key elements of education, personalized program development, and implementation that you will find at a health retreat, however the swimming pool, pre-cooked and catered meals and steam baths aren't here. You'll get access to the core pillars that will make a critical difference to your health, but it's not a holiday or a relaxing retreat, this is an intentional investment towards improving your wellbeing.
-
Who is the THRIVE Program for?The THRIVE program was developed to help anyone who has an interest in improving their overall wellbeing and health. In our view health isn't something achieved but it is something that is invested in and maintained regularly. So whether you find yourself in great, good, moderate, or poor health physically or mentally, we have built this program to help you take the next step towards improving your health and wellbeing across the 3 core pillars.
-
How long are your waitlists?At the moment we have no waitlists for most of our team and can book you in within 2 business days. Some of our more experienced clinicians may have short wait lists. Please contact us to inquire more and we can let you know.
-
Can I choose just the parts of the program I want to do?While the program was designed to focus on all 3 areas of health, you can certainly book in individual consultations with the Naturopath, Personal Trainer or Psychologist. This would allow you to still have a relevant program created to follow and you can arrange follow up sessions as required also. The best way to do this would be to contact our admin team by emailing hello@harvestclinic.com.au and they can arrange this with you privately.
-
Are there any additional costs?Your Integrative GP and Naturopath may recommend additional supplements or pathology tests that may incur a fee. These recommendations are not compulsory and we encourage you to discuss alternative options with your practitioner if it is not viable for you to proceed with their suggestions. The costs paid for your program provide you with the outlined number of sessions with each practitioner along with the program(s) created by them for you to follow, however costs for materials and resources such as groceries and other ingredients, exercise equipment etc. are not included in the package fees.
-
How do I access Bulk-Billing Sessions?To access bulk billing sessions for psychology telehealth, you typically need a referral from your General Practitioner (GP) under a Mental Health Care Plan (simply visit your GP to request this). Once you have both the Plan and Referral, you can email them to us at hello@harvestclinic.com.au or fax to (07) 3607 2456 and we can be in touch to book in your session. If you have any questions just reach out and we can help!
-
What do I need to start?This program is offered completely online. All you need is a laptop and a reasonably good connection to the internet to attend zoom/telehealth sessions with your practitioners. Having access to a printer would be beneficial if you want to print out your programs, shopping list, recipes or other items that your practitioners will provide you. If you don't have a laptop or PC but you do have a phone, you should still be able to complete the entire program. Please contact us to have a chat and we'll do our best to make it work!
How does Bulk-Billing Work?
1. Visit your gp
First, you'll need a referral from your GP (General Practitioner) and a Mental Health Treatment Plan.
2. Get in Touch
Contact us to schedule your telehealth appointment at a time that suits you.
3. Attend Your Session
Connect with your psychologist online from the comfort of your home
4. We handle the billing
After your session, we'll take care of billing Medicare directly. You don't need to worry about payments.