Clients are encouraged to check their own health funds to see if they are covered.
Not all funds will provide benefits for our services, but the following funds will:
Private health funds vary depending on the specific fund you choose. Please contact your provider to determine the rebates for which you qualify and to verify if you have the appropriate coverage.
Full payment is required before you can take your receipt to claim with your private health insurance.
Receipts issued contain association membership numbers.
Important Note:
It is not possible to claim both a Medicare rebate and a health fund rebate for the same session (Australian Government law). However, some of my clients start claiming from their private health fund after their Medicare rebates have been fully used.
Important Note:
Cancellation or no-show fees cannot be claimed from Medicare or a health fund.
Booking SIRA-funded counselling with an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
Our Availability for SIRA Funded Appointments
SIRA-funded appointments are available only on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and are exclusively offered via telehealth.
Important Note: Please contact us to book your initial appointment, following the steps below:
Step 1 – Check your claim
Make sure your Workers’ Compensation (or CTP) claim is accepted and you know yours:
Step 2 – Email us to secure your first appointment
We require the necessary paperwork before we can confirm a session.
Please email info@ertc.com.au with:
Phone calls are welcome for questions, but an email with documents is essential to reserve your slot. Appointments for SIRA-funded clients can only be booked after we receive this email.
Step 3 – We confirm funding & book you in
Once your email arrives, we:
Step 4 – Attend your first session
There is no gap fee for SIRA-funded counselling.
All approved sessions are billed directly to the insurer at SIRA rates.
The therapist will complete the Allied Health Treatment Request (AHTR) with you, setting goals and requesting further consultations as needed.
Step 5 – Ongoing support
Near the end of each block of SIRA-approved sessions, we review progress with you and, if more counselling is beneficial, submit another AHTR.
Keep us informed of any changes to your claim status.
Need help?
Email info@ertc.com.au. We’ll guide you through every step.
Please note that the initial booking must be submitted via email, accompanied by the documents listed above.
The Australian Government offers Medicare rebates for mental health services through the Better Access initiative. As an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, I am registered with Medicare to provide focused psychological strategies—evidence-based therapy interventions that support your mental health recovery.
What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan?
A Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) is created by your GP when you’re experiencing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, or other conditions. It outlines:
How Do I Get a Mental Health Treatment Plan?
To access a plan:
What Does It Cover?
Under the Better Access scheme, your MHTP provides access to up to 10 individual and 10 group therapy sessions per calendar year. Initially, your GP can refer you for six individual sessions. If more support is needed, they can approve up to four additional sessions following a review.
How It Works in Our Practice
You’re welcome to request that your GP refer you specifically to me or a ‘mental health professional’. Please bring your referral letter to our first session.
Important Note: If you are accessing support through the Better Access Initiative (e.g., sessions that are bulk-billed or with Medicare rebates), you must provide:
Important: Without this documentation, ERTC cannot process bulk-billing or rebates for you, and the full private session fee will apply.
Important: Rebates cannot be backdated for sessions before obtaining a valid plan, but can be claimed later if the plan was already valid.
Suppose you haven’t provided your Medicare card, GP referral, or Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) before your session. In this case, ERTC will not be able to process the Medicare rebates on your behalf electronically. In that case, the session fee will be charged as a private appointment payable by you. However, you can still claim your rebate directly from Medicare. For further guidance, please consult Services Australia (Medicare Claims Webpage).
From 1 November 2025, the Australian Government is introducing changes to the Better Access initiative,
which provides Medicare rebates for mental health services.
These changes aim to improve continuity of care by ensuring that your mental and physical health care are coordinated through your regular GP.
What’s Changing:
To claim Medicare rebates for counselling under Better Access:
