How do you all afford psychology/psychiatry sessions?

[MisterM]

I know there are 10 sessions covered under Medicare where you only pay a smaller fee but every time I have been the 10 sessions run out so fast. I am unemployed, even recently working casual I wasn't earning much. How do some of you people afford to go weekly/fortnightly. When I was working full time I was going every week/fortnight and spent over $3,000 in a year on seeing my psychologist. It's just too damn expensive, how can sessions cost $200 approx per 50 mins, what justifies such a high fee?
I don't get it.

[Depagain]

I was seeing a psychologist in country victoria who took her prices up from $230 an hour to $300 an hour. I'll admit she was extremely good and the best I've seen. However, even with the 10 visits a year I was out of pocket $170 and couldn't keep up the expense.

Rather than seeing an expensive psychologist I've been attending GROW and finding it very useful. It's free and available every week.

[continuousventer]

I have a mental health care plan for ten sessions. However, I'm on my last session so I am thinking of seeing Headspace

[blondguy]

Hello Depagain

Welcome and thankyou for your very helpful post too!

Thats major dollars per hour....omg. If you wish to discuss your experience at GROW you are very welcome to do so. This is an old thread that doesnt really focus on the positives as you have outlined above.

If you choose to create a new thread about your experiences with GROW it would benefit not only the members who post yet also the majority of people that choose to 'read' the forums for any positive help.

Hello continuousventer...great to have you as part of the forum family too. You are proactive with your health and well done on doing so well with your 10 sessions on your mental health care plan. Headspace is an excellent avenue where our health is concerned. I hope you can continue to be a part of Beyond Blue.....(only if you wish to of course)

Im Paul and its great to meet you both 🙂

my kind thoughts

[continuousventer]

Dear Paul

Thanks. I have been trying to do more running. I went to a doctor's appointment today and she said I still have 10 sessions. I have been diagnosed with bipolar but I do not take any medication. I feel like I'm managing my condition pretty well because I know staying up at 3 am is when things get bad.

[blondguy]

Dear Continuous Venter

You have done well with persevering with treatment for your health condition and good on you!

Staying awake till 3am can be a pain

Paul

[Harry05]

I don't know if that's true or not but one has to wonder. I'm told $250 per hour is not unusual. This is a staggering sum. Tenfold increase on the wage I received when working.

[WhiteNinja]

Hi Mary ("White Rose"),

You mentioned that you were able to utilise Medicare's Safety Net with your psychologist – is that true? From what I've seen they don't consider any sessions beyond the 10 on a MHCP to be eligible for the safety net, but if you've found a way to access it, I'd love to know.

See this response they gave on Twitter:
"If you've used all the Medicare eligible mental health services available in a calendar year then any further out-of-pocket costs will not count towards the Medicare Safety Net."
https://twitter.com/HumanServicesAU/status/1193700632776957952

[WhiteNinja]

The Possum said:

Just to clarify the safety net will pay on psychology fees that Medicare cover ie the 10 sessions and then the additional 5 sessions you are entitled to if you have a TeamCare arrangement completed by your GP.
...
So basically Medicare safety net for 15 sessions Max. In a year. After that you're on your own!

I haven't heard much mention of these "Team Care Arrangements". It sounds really good that you're able to get a further 5 rebated psychologist sessions through these. Does anyone know the specific requirements in order to be eligible for these? Or perhaps I'll talk to my GP next time I'm there.

[blondguy]

Hi all

I noticed this thread pop up again....which is great!

Just a note....A proactive GP can provide us with huge support with our mental health care

Just for myself I have been seeing my GP every 4-6 weeks for a 'fine tune' for 23 years after having chronic anxiety for over 30 years and its the best decision I have made

Of course we usually require a psychiatrists' expertise for a proper diagnosis and meds if required

always a bonus to see new members on the forums!

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Aunt Jobiska]

Hi - information on a Team Care Arrangement - you have to have several - I think three? - chronic health conditions, and you must have two additional specialists / allied health professionals involved in your care (in addition to your GP), and then your GP has to be willing to take the time to write a team care plan (which is pretty much unnecessary if you just want the sessions for psychology, which was how I did it - GP noted writing it was a giant waste of time, but Medicare insists they do it). I think you must then be willing for the team care plan to be sent to all the people in the team. That may be an issue if your GP puts personal psychological information on the plan, and one of the people in the team is your physiotherapist, or your dietitian, who you may not want to have access to that information.