How to be referred:
No referral is needed but you will need to pay the full consultation fee (see pricing below), unless you can claim a Medicare rebate or utilise Workers Compensation, MAIB, Private Health, or another insurer. Book via the booking link below (see How to Book and Appointment) or call to schedule an appointment. If you want to claim a Medicare rebate, you will need to be eligible.
To be eligible you will need to speak with your GP, advise them of why you need to be referred or your GP may suggest a mental health consult. Ask your GP to complete a GP Mental Health Care Plan to Rob Pearce at Rob Pearce Consulting, 38a Canning Street, Launceston and forward via email: admin@robpearceconsulting.com.au or fax a copy to 02 6147 0771. GPs – complete a Mental Health Care Plan (item No: 2715/2717). The preference is for MHCPs as they offer greater opportunity and time to assist people with their mental health needs. Medicare item numbers:
80150 – up to 6 sessions initially and a maximum of 10 sessions per calendar year lasting up to 50 mins
80160 – up to 6 sessions initially and a maximum of 10 sessions per calendar year lasting longer than 50 mins
Clients can continue to attend beyond the 10 sessions covered by Medicare; full payment of the consultation fee will be required. Organisations/psychiatrists: A referral letter addressed to Rob Pearce Consulting and posted to 38a Canning Street, Launceston 7250, Fax: 02 6147 0771 or emailed to admin@robpearceconsulting.com.au outlining the reason for the referral is sufficient
How to book an appointment:
Your GP practice will send a completed referral and we will call you to discuss appointment options. Alternatively, you could call and advise us of a referral and your appointment preferences. Book online via this link https://my.powerdiary.com/clientportal/cd2ea134-a6d1-4085-bc9e-eb02abf120e8 or via the Rob Pearce Consulting page and the Book now button
Or call landline 03 63 34 7359, mobile 0417 445 455 or 0455 513 090. Pricing:
Individual consultations up to 50 mins in duration are $105.80, payable on the day or you can claim a Medicare Rebate via a referral from your GP. (This needs to be completed prior to your first appointment and provided by your GP or brought along to your first appointment). Medicare Rebates – Medicare will pay 85% of the scheduled fee or $54.60 leaving $51.20 gap payment, Medicare Claim completed at the time of consultation and paid into your Medicare linked bank account the same day or overnight. Individual consultations longer than 50 mins in duration $137.80, payable on the day or you can claim a Medicare Rebate via a referral from your GP. Medicare Rebates – Medicare will pay 85% of the scheduled fee or $77.80 leaving $60.00 gap payment, Medicare Claim completed at the time of consultation and paid into your Medicare linked bank account the same day or overnight. Private Health Insurance providers may assist with payment for sessions or assist with gap payments – please contact your insurer to check as cover varies between providers and individual policies. NDIS participants: Your NDIS plan may include the provision of individual counselling and assist with payment for sessions. Please check with your plan manager prior to booking an appointment. Financial Policy
Payment for sessions required on the day and can be made by card payments (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple & Google Pay), tap and go, chip or swipe available. For Telehealth or telephone appointments a secure online checkout is available to process your payment. Your Medicare rebate will be paid back into your Medicare linked bank account the same afternoon or overnight; depending on your banking institution. Whilst every effort is made to provide services to people, to remain sustainable Rob Pearce Consulting fees reflect the costs associated with running and maintaining a high-quality service. Rob Pearce Consulting is not able to offer bulk billed appointments. If you have specific reasoning as to why bulk billing of some appointments may be required, please speak with us prior to your appointment. Alternatively, we can offer a range of options for people that can be accessed for free or at minimal cost instead of Medicare Bulk Billing. Cancellations
If you need to cancel an appointment at least 48hrs notice is required otherwise a fee based on industry standards may be applied. Notification more than 48hrs = no fee
Notification between 24 - 48hrs = 50% of the fee payable ($27.30 or $38.55)
Notification less than 24hrs or no notification = 100% of the fee payable ($60.00 or $77.10). What happens once you are referred? We will call to see if there is any specific information you would like to provide, or have specific requirements, you will also have an opportunity to ask any questions prior to your first appointment. What to bring to the first appt? GP Mental Health Care Plan, DVA, NDIS or Workers Compensation paperwork if your GP has not forwarded it directly to Rob Pearce Consulting. What to expect:
The initial session will involve gathering information about the reason/s for the referral and to develop treatment goals and a plan. It is possible that learning or practice tasks will be set for you to complete before your next session, with a review of your progress and possibly setting new learning or practice tasks. A letter will be provided to your GP or referrer after the first session and a progress report provided at the conclusion of the final session to your GP or referrer if you have been referred under Medicare. Covid 19: The Federal Government has expanded the Better Access Pandemic Support measure ensuring Australians whose mental health is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can access an additional 10
Medicare subsidised mental health therapy sessions. 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 are available from 9 October 2020 until 30 June 2022. Who is eligible to access the 10 additional sessions? The additional sessions are available to people who have:
1. a Mental Health Treatment Plan;
2. used all 10 individual Better Access sessions in the calendar year that they seek a referral; and
3. a referral from their GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician. How to access the additional sessions:
1. You will need to see your GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician. Your GP can review your Mental Health Treatment Plan or use another consultation item to refer you for the additional sessions.
2. Your GP will decide how many sessions you can receive in your referral. You are able to access up to 10 additional sessions each calendar year from 9 October 2020 until 30 June 2022. This is a total of up to 20 individual sessions each calendar year. The maximum number of sessions your reviewing practitioner can state on your referral is:
10 ADDITIONAL Better Access sessions or 6 INITIAL Better Access sessions. What happens if you don’t use all 10 additional sessions before the calendar
year ends? The quota for your number of Better Access sessions resets each calendar year. The maximum number of sessions you can receive in a calendar year is 20 sessions (normally 10 but with the additional Covid 10 = 20). To support access, you can continue to use your referral for the additional sessions to access unused services in the next calendar year. For example, if your GP provides you with a referral for 10 additional sessions in 2020, and you only use 6 sessions before 31 December 2020, you can continue to use to access the remaining 4 sessions in 2021, before needing a new referral. Once you have used all of the additional sessions stated on your referral, you will need to visit your GP. They will decide whether to refer you for INITIAL Better Access sessions in the new calendar year. You can access a maximum of 6 sessions in an INITIAL Better Access sessions referral, if needed the GP can approve the ADDITIONAL 4 sessions, and the ADDITIONAL 10 Covid sessions if deemed appropriate. The additional Better Access Covid 19 Pandemic Support sessions are temporary, cannot be accessed after 30 June 2022, and are for individual psychological services only, NOT group sessions. Sessions via telehealth:
The temporary COVID-19 telehealth items are only available until 31 March 2021. The appropriateness of telehealth services is a clinical judgement we will make in consultation with you, for some people it may not be beneficial. There is no change to the rules that apply to telehealth items for Modified Monash Model areas 4 to 7 for people living in rural or remote areas.
