What is mental health plan? Can it be rewritten?

[Pseudomonas]

Hi friends, just a random question coz I didn't know anything abt this mental health plan when I saw my first and only counsellor. Counsellor did say a few sessions ago he'd forward/discuss the health plan to my referring gp, but he later also said I should perhaps find another gp in his suburb, he'd omit PTSD in report despite he knows I've got it, he'd write my issues more severe than they are to improve the chances of getting healthcare benefits, etc....in a nutshell, I am seeing my regular gp tmr but I don't know if counsellor has sent her a mental health plan, and how reliable the contents are. I don't want to go and pick up the plan from counsellor.

What is in a mental health plan?

What is it's function?

If I don't want to claim Medicare for the six sessions I had with this counsellor, can my gp re-do a new mental health plan and refer me to a clinical psychologist?

Thanks so much,

Pauline

[geoff]

hi Pauline, there is a lot of confusion regarding this mental health plan (MHP), but your doctor has to send this to your psych, however your psych may want to qualify to your doctor that you need a MHP, but your doctor writes up the recommendation.
To me it means 10 free visits to see a psych, whether your psych gives you a bill so that Medicare will reimburse you the entire amount or whether they just send it off by themselves, they all differ, one way or another it doesn't cost you anything.

Some say it's 6 and then another 4 can be added on, but each one does what they want.
This can happen each year and sometimes if it's really needed the doctor may want to extend the 10 sessions to 12 or 15. Geoff.

[Pseudomonas]

Thanks Geoff, sounds like it's only useful if I need meds, or if I need to return to the same counsellor and claim Medicare for it...ie not very important document after all 🙂 peace of mind to attend gp appt tmr ~ Cheer, Pauline

[MsPurple]

Hi pseudomonas and welcome to the forums

Geoff let you know a lot about a the mental health care plan. And he is right it isn't too important a document, basically it is something they have to fill out so you can get psychology under medicare. This is because psychologists don't get any funding from medicare with out it (meaning you have to pay for it all). Counsellors who are not a registered/clinical psychologist are not able to be able to claim through medicare. This is generally why your GP will refer you to a psychologist over a counsellor. So under the mental health care plan you get between 6-10 sessions. I see a psychologist who doesn't bulk bill but it isn't too much extra, if I didn't have the care plan I would have to pay it all out of pocket which would be around $150.

When you say "sounds like it's only useful if I need meds" I don't completely agree. They can offer you counselling like your counsellor. They are actually more trained. Psychologists are not psychiatrists. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who focus on mental health. They can prescribe medication and psychologist don't.

Also getting a health care plan I don't think you'll have a problem. They just ask you about your signs and symptoms, what have you tried in the past to help it, family history and they sometimes (well they did for me) get me to fill in a k10 checklist (see the tabs at the top of the page under the facts they have the k10 checklist). Nothing to be nervous about

So hope it all goes well for you 🙂

[MsPurple]

Also sorry I forgot to add something. I am not too sure if it can be completely re-written, but I know they can change the therapist they put on the plan or add a second therapist too it. I had this done because I wasn't sure if I was completely connecting with mine. Turns out yeah maybe I wasn't but I also was still building rapport. After my 3rd session I was getting stuff out of it again.

[Dr_Kim]

Hi Pseudomonas,

I am a little confused or maybe I'm not understanding your predicament correctly so let me lay out my understanding of the process and see if that helps.
 
The Mental Health Care Plan is formulated by a GP after consulting with a patient and assessing their mental health needs. An item number is then generated for this and charged ( which is how the government knows that you have a current Mental Health Plan).

The letter or form that is filled out by a GP is either given to the patient to give to the psychologist that has been suggested by the GP or it is sent directly to them .

The patient is then entitled to claim 6 sessions with a Medicare rebate from that psychologist ( or clinical psychologist) . After that, you can return to your GP for a Mental Health Plan Review  and if agreed by everyone, a further 4 sessions are given .

So the form that your psychologist is sending back to your GP is a courtesy letter explaining how he or she feels therapy is going and usually that helps the GP decide whether a further 4 sessions are the best option for the patient. 

One can have a maximum of 10 sessions with a psychologist or clinical psychologist each year that can attract a Medicare rebate. If you want or need more sessions than that you can either pay out of pocket or if you have private health insurance with extras, you can claim through that.

I know that it's not ideal as many people need more than 10 sessions per year . Also many psychologists don't bulk bill so there is often an out of pocket expense anyway, but it's the best we have at the moment .

The difference between clinical psychologist and just psychologist is just in the training they have done. Some clinical psychologists have an extra expertise in certain areas. They are often a bit more expensive. Check with your GP as to what is best for you.

You don't have to claim the Medicare benefits for the sessions already had but I can't see why you wouldn't . If you "run out" of sessions towards the end of a calendar year as many do , then that would be the time to not take advantage of the Medicare rebate in offer .

I can't see a down side to claiming on sessions already paid for. I'm not sure what " health care benefits " your counsellor was discussing with you however in general my advice is that if you like and trust your current GP, then just go back to them and be honest about what your health care needs are. 

I hope this has clarified things a bit . 

Good luck !

[Pseudomonas]

Thanks so much, everyone.

I was very confused as you can see, it's trial and error, both my gp and I were just learning together abt this.

The said counsellor was not to my knowledge a psychologist. So when I asked at first session abt the claiming he said I couldn't claim for now, but he would write my symptoms worse than they are and lobby for the ability to claim to ease the burden ($100 a week, which actually is not too bad for me if it actually works, so I didn't chase him up abt the lobbying thing). So now after six sessions I realised he's not the counsellor I needed (I feel really stupid I trusted him initially, it's nearly a scam). Half the time I was hearing his other clients' misfortune and what happened in his life I doubt he actually knows what's wrong with me in the first place...

My mental health plan only described me as non-smoker, with "signs of anxiety and depression".

[Pseudomonas]

Thanks MsPurple, very helpful tab. My new K10 is 37...which is about the same as six weeks ago

[geoff]

hi Pauline, can I adjust my wording, that your psychologist would suggest to your doctor that you be put on a MHP, however with your counsellor who isn't a trained psychologist would have to say that you can't claim because he would be doing something illegal, and if you feel as though he needs to be reported then you must do this.

I doubt very much that your doctor would have received any information because that means he would be caught out, and it is actually a scam. Geoff.

[Pseudomonas]

Thanks, Geoff, you are right my gp did not receive anything, she didn't even know I had six sessions with him.

I am not surprised because he has been gently persuading me to change gp, especially to the homeopathic/alternative medicine gp in his suburb...

After telling my gp a few issues I had with the said counsellor, she didn't want to know further, but referred me to a psychiatrist for proper diagnosis first, prior to reviewing the mental health plan...so I'm going to a psychiatrist with copy of the same paperwork I had six weeks ago, at least psychiatrist is trained professional to diagnose issues with mental health. After that we'll sort out if I have four or ten sessions in my mental health plan...