Terms and Conditions of Service

Private Health Insurance

There are multiple funding and compensation schemes provided by the Australian Government and Private sector that are available for clients who meet eligibility criteria. Most health insurance policies cover psychology services depending on the policy. Please check with your insurance company to obtain details on eligibility. Psychology services may be available under your Private Health extras policy. Please contact them to determine your eligibility. The amount of rebate you receive will depend on your level of cover and the type of service you receive, and any Medicare safety net qualifications. 

By law you are only eligible for rebate through one scheme (I.e., Medicare or Private health insurance) per consultation.

Medicare Mental Health Care Plan

 To obtain Medicare rebate Zen Psychology must receive an eligible Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your doctor before your consultation. Zen Psychology is not responsible for any problems claiming your rebate related to the referral process. Your doctor will be able to support you to work through the referral process in accordance with their medical practice policy and adhere to the Medicare terms and conditions. 

Under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (Better Access), Medicare rebates are available to clients with an assessed mental disorder. Medicare rebates are accessed with a Mental Health Treatment Plan and referral from a medical practitioner, psychiatrist, or paediatrician. As part of the agreement with Medicare, Zen Psychology will provide Mental Health Care Plan Summary reports after six sessions. If further sessions are requested a summary report will be provided a second time, after four more sessions (Total of 10 in a calendar year). Zen Psychology is responsible for a final summary report for additional sessions requested under the Better Access Pandemic Measure upon completion.

Please note the maximum number of sessions per referral is 6 and rebates will not be given beyond the number stated on the referral. 

UPDATE - Additional 10 Medicare rebated sessions no longer available from 1 January 2023

[The Australian Government recognises the mental health impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on individuals and communities across Australia. The expansion of the Better Access Pandemic Support measure ensures Australians whose mental health is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can access an additional 10 Medicare subsidised psychological therapy sessions. This measure extends existing support provided through the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medical Benefits Schedule (Better Access) initiative. It entitles eligible people nationally to access up to 20 Medicare subsidised individual support sessions and 10 group support sessions each calendar year. These additional sessions were available from 9 October 2020 until 31 December 2022.]

Psychological Assessments, Medical Case Conferences and Medical Reports for Insurance Providers, Services Australia, National Disability Services and Legal Matters will be indexed by the Funder in accordance with existing Health Care Provider Terms and Conditions, and by hours required to complete the service plus GST. 

Standard Report 

Min Cost: $360 plus 10% GST (Total= $396). Costs may vary to account for assessment materials, research, assessment review, report writing time and any travel required)

Medical Case Conference

0-30 Mins: $150 plus GST (Total $165)

30-60 Mins: $300 plus GST (Total $330)

60-90 Mins: $450 plus GST (Total $495)

Travel (if required): $150 per 30 mins travel time 

Letters and Medico-legal Reports 

The cost of service is tailored in response to the specifics required by each request, for further information please contact admin@zen-psychology.com.au .

In case of emergency, please call 000 or go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. Zen Psychology does not offer acute care or crisis services (This requires a large team of around the clock professionals to support such an undertaking. This service is mostly only available through a hospital service).  For non life threatening assistance and out of hours phone support, please contact your doctor. Alternatively you may find it helpful to call Lifeline on 13 11 14; Suicide Call-back Service 1300 659 467; or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.

Zen Psychology no longer accepts bulk billing or reduced fee referrals. Existing referrals already under a concessional arrangement will be increased in accordance with operational requirements to meet minimum billing threshold of $150 for a standard/ subsequent consultation payable at the time of appointment.  

The Australian Psychology Association(1) and Australian Association of Psychologists (2) recommended fee for a 46-60 minute consultation is $300. The fee at which a service is set is at the discretion of the individual psychologist to accommodate cost(s) of service provision and other business expenses. Zen Psychology has considered the business requirements and billing structure with the aim to accommodate improvements to client services, administration and support business growth. Zen Psychology remains dedicated to the provision of cost effective access to mental healthcare services and offers a fee structure operating on a sliding scale to accommodate referral variation(s). 

While special consideration must be given to people who are unable to afford psychological services, it is not feasible for Zen Psychology to provide free psychological services. Zen Psychology does not receive any compensation or reimbursement from the Australian Government Compensation Scheme and must account for operational costs, resource management and preparedness for essential services. For access to free psychological services please contact your local council or agencies like Beyond Blue, Lifeline, DV Connect, SCOPE or Suicide Call Back Service for further assistance. 

Helpful Phone Numbers:

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

Lifeline: 13 11 14

DV Connect: 1800 811 811

Sunshine Coast Regional Domestic and Family Violence Service (SCOPE): 07 5430 9300

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

To ensure that Zen Psychology provides the highest quality of care to our clients, please give at least 48 business hours notice if you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment. Your cancellation notice would be much appreciated, as this can enable us to provide services to other clients who may be in need of an urgent appointment. Repeated failure to attend appointment without prior notification may result in cancellation of future appointments and attract a 50% surcharge non attendance fee payable prior to your next visit. Late fees will be administered to accommodate for operational requirements and are subject to discretion.