Question 1

Do I need a referral?

Accepted Answer

You do not need a referral to see one of our psychologists, however if you do have a referral from a paediatrician, psychiatrist or GP, you can claim a Medicare rebate. You may be eligible for 6-10 sessions per calendar year depending on your presenting concerns. If you are referred by a doctor, we will write back to the doctor after the initial consultation, 6th session and 10th session. You will need to return to the doctor for a re-referral after the 6th session. We will do our utmost to keep an accurate record of session number but request that you too keep track of these. Rebates cannot be claimed for the 7th session without a re-referral. Rebates cannot be claimed if the child is not in attendance at the session.

Question 2

Do I get a Medicare rebate?

Accepted Answer

See above. In most circumstances, and where eligible, your psychologist can process the rebate for you through our practice management software which saves you time doing it yourself.

Question 3

Can I get a Medicare rebate if my child is not present?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, you cannot claim a rebate for sessions where the child is not present. This is strictly against Medicare guidelines, sessions attended without a child are privately funded and therefore out of pocket. Some private health funds may provide a rebate, in such cases it is best to check with your individual health fund.
You also cannot use your own Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) when attending sessions without your child to discuss your child. Mental Health Care plans can only be used to treat the person whose name the Mental Health Care Plan is under, for the mental health concern of the person named in the Mental Health Care Plan.

Question 4

Do private health rebates apply?

Accepted Answer

Yes,  Private Health Insurance rebates may be available subject to your level of cover. If you are eligible for a private rebate you will need to submit your invoice to your fund directly. Please note that you are not able to claim a Medicare rebate and a Private Health Insurance rebate for the same session. We do not process private insurance rebates onsite however a copy of your paid invoice will be emailed directly to you.

Question 5

Do you bulk bill?

Accepted Answer

Mind and Me Psychology is a private billing practice and therefore we do not bulk bill. All our practitioners are specialists in their field and have undergone extensive study and field experience to meet the requirements to practice. They are also required to meet stringent professional development requirements each year to maintain their registration. Our practitioners may reduce their fees under exceptional circumstances only.

Question 6

How do I pay?

Accepted Answer

Payment is required in full on the day of service. We have full eftpos facilities (with exception of AMEX/Diners). Alternatively, credit card details are stored in our secure encrypted system and an automatic debit will occur. If you have not provided us with this information, you will receive an email link and be able to make immediate payment.  A full fee schedule is sent out with our information pack upon booking. If your psychologist is attending a school or any other visit, pre-payment is required. You can do this by calling our care team who can take payments over the phone. We require a deposit when booking an assessment.

Question 7

Can I attend without my child?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely, in fact many parents like to attend the first consultation without their child so that they can fill us in on the background. This will vary considerably. We do like parents to be open and honest with the child about why they are coming to a psychologist but how much information you share in front of your child will vary significantly based on the reasons for coming.

Question 8

Do I stay in the session with my child?

Accepted Answer

This will vary considerably depending on the age of the child and the presenting concerns. Your psychologist will explain the suitability of you being in the session with your child. Typically for older children, we will provide feedback to the parent where appropriate and with the consent of the child. Our aim is to have a collaborative approach and work together as a team, in most cases, the child will attend sessions independently without their parent however this is very individual for each situation.

For assessments, children will attend the session on their own except in the case of very young children (e.g. under 3 years). Your psychologist will explain this when they meet you.

Question 9

What qualifications do the Psychologists hold?

Accepted Answer

All our psychologists hold tertiary qualifications in psychology. In addition, we undertake continuing professional development which ensures we are able to provide you with the best and latest treatment approaches.  All our psychologists are also fully registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and most are members of the Australian Psychological Society.

Question 10

What should I expect when I see a psychologist?

Accepted Answer

Before your therapy session begins, we may ask you to fill out administrative forms in order to properly record your data. You may also be asked to complete some psychological assessment forms to establish a starting point from which our psychologists can work.  During the first session we endeavour to firstly understand your personal circumstances, difficulties and challenges prior to working out your unique treatment plan.  We do this in a safe, relaxed and confidential environment.  We advocate evidence-based principles within our consultations and treat you with compassion and respect in order to yield effective and positive change.  There is no “typical” therapy session as there are different methods of treatment for different problems.

Question 11

What is telehealth?

Accepted Answer

A telehealth service is a psychological therapy service that is delivered via video conference where both a visual and audio link has been established between a client and their treating allied health professional. Telehealth services can be delivered by psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists that are registered with Medicare. Telehealth sessions are eligible for Medicare rebates until December 2021.

Question 12

What information is required before attending our first appointment?

Accepted Answer

During initial contact, our friendly client relationship team will take down some useful information before sending an online intake form to your chosen email address.  Please complete both the intake form and consent form which will be emailed to you. Don't forget to bring your MHCP to the first session to obtain the Medicare rebate.

After booking your first appointment, you will receive an SMS with a link to a background information form. We ask that you complete this as early as possible prior to attending your first appointment. The information you provide will help your psychologist learn more about why you are coming and help them in providing a productive and welcoming first session.

Question 13

How do I prepare for online sessions?

Accepted Answer

Prior to your appointment:
•	If you are an existing client and haven’t signed our new consent form, your psychologist will send you a new form. You will need to return this prior to your first online session.
•	Decide which device you are going to use for your Zoom session, you can use your phone, iPad, laptop or desktop.
•	If using a handheld device download the ZOOM app on your phone or device via the app store or Google Play. Be sure to do this in plenty of time prior to your appointment.
•	If using your laptop or desktop, you will be prompted to download zoom via the invitation your psychologist sends or you can download here https://zoom.us/download (https://zoom.us/download)
At your scheduled appointment:
•	Your psychologist will send you a ZOOM link via email. When you click on the link, follow the prompts. Make sure you allow your device to use the microphone and camera.
•	Here is a little video that outlines how to join a zoom session https://youtu.be/vFhAEoCF7jg(https://youtu.be/vFhAEoCF7jg.)
Troubleshooting:
•	Make sure that you have a full battery in preparation
•	Practice placing the phone, iPad, laptop or computer in a suitable location so that your psychologist can see you
•	Make sure the camera and audio is turned on (it is a good idea to practice before your scheduled session time)

Question 14

How do I pay for a zoom session:

Accepted Answer

You can pay for non face-to-face sessions via credit card which is stored in our secure encrypted system or via direct credit. Your psychologist will organise payment.
If you have any questions, please call us on 041 525 8508.

Question 15

Are we registered with NDIS?

Accepted Answer

No, however we see many self-managed and some plan managed clients. Self-managed NDIS clients are treated as private paying clients, we issue invoices and clients claim privately.

Question 16

Late Cancellations and Missed Session Fees

Accepted Answer

When you confirm a session, this time is reserved for you. Please give as much notice as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule your session. This will provide administration with an opportunity to offer your session time to other clients who are waiting to see your practitioner. This policy also ensures that your practitioner’s time is valued.

If you do not provide 48 hours’ notice you will be charged 50% of your session fee. 
If you do not provide 24 hours’ notice you will be charged 100% of your session fee.

Please note that weekends and/or public holidays are not included as hours of notice, as these hours do not provide administration with an opportunity to offer your session time to other clients who are waiting to see your practitioner. We thank you for respecting this policy.

Please note that all cancellations and/or rescheduling of sessions need to be notified via text message or email to administration. Please do not leave a voice message with appointment changes as we cannot guarantee that administration will receive your voice message within the required timeframe, which would result in a ‘Late Cancellation/Missed Session fee.

FIND THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

CONTACT US

hello@mindandmetherapy.com

FIND US