Information for GPs

The Better Access Initiative simplified for the General Practitioner

Our aim is to clarify frequent questions around Mental Health Care Plans, Referrals, Reviews and Medicare Legislation / Requirements

THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE / TREATMENT PLAN
(MHTP)

Does a Mental Health Treatment Plan expire?

The simple answer is "No". The MHTP does not expire at the end of 12 months or on completion of the 10 rebatable sessions. It is helpful to think of the Mental Health Treatment Plan as a "living document" for continual updating as required instead of expiring. The plan should be updated at any time to incorporate relevant information, such as feedback or advice from other health professionals on the diagnosis or treatment of the patient.

How many Rebatable Sessions is a client/patient able to access per year?

Currently, a Mental Health Treatment Plan allows a client/patient access to 10 individual rebated sessions in a Calendar Year starting from the initial setup date or last review date to the 31st December. These 10 rebatable sessions are available afresh each year on the 1st of January.

THE REFERRAL LETTER

The initial amount of sessions allowed for a client/patient is a course of 6 sessions. Subsequently, if clinically indicated and taking into account the written report from the treating allied mental health professional, the client/patient is allowed a referral for a second course of treatment, a further 4 sessions.

Can I refer the client/patient for all 10 sessions at one time?

Even if you refer your client/patient for all 10 sessions at once, Medicare only allows the client/patient a maximum of 6 sessions on a referral. This means that a client/patient will still need to return to their GP for a subsequent referral if further sessions are needed.

Directly below is the information from the MBS Associated Notes AN 0.56

Number of Sessions

The GP can decide how many sessions the patient will receive in a course of treatment, within the maximum session limit for the course of treatment. The maximum session limit for each course of treatment is set out below:

Initial course of treatment – a maximum of six sessions.
Subsequent course of treatment – a maximum of six sessions up to the patient’s cap of ten sessions (for example, if the patient received six sessions in their initial course of treatment, they can only receive four sessions in a subsequent course of treatment).

The GP should consider the patient's clinical need for further sessions after each course of treatment, including through considering the written report provided by the treating practitioner. This can be done using a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan Review, a GP Mental Health Treatment Consultation or a standard consultation item

Does a Referral Letter expire?

Unlike other referral letters to Specialists, the MHTP referral letters do not have an expiry date.

A referral is valid until the referred number of sessions have been completed, regardless of whether a patient chooses to change their allied mental health provider.

Mental health referrals do not expire at the end of the calendar year either. If your patient has unused services on their referral at the end of the calendar year, they can access those services in the following calendar year.

In other words, the referral letter remains valid and can still be used by a client from one calendar year into the next without the patient/client needing to experience disruption in their therapy.

It is important to take note that in order for a patient/client to access the subsequent sessions of treatment, a Review is not required unless the clinical needs of the patient/client have changed. A new Referral stating the number of additional sessions/ services is the basic requirement.

For a Referral Letter to comply with Medicare’s Best Practice Guidelines it will need to contain the following:

The date
The client/patient name, date of birth and address
The provisional mental health diagnosis
The number of sessions being referred for
Your Name, Provider Number and Signature
A statement about whether the patient has a mental health treatment plan or a psychiatrist assessment and management plan.

THE REVIEW

According to Medicare Legislation / Best Practice Guidelines, there are conditions to when a Review is required or not required.

When is a Review required?

A Review is required when there is a clinical change in the Mental Health of your patient/client.

When is a Review NOT required?

A Review is not a requirement to access subsequent rebatable sessions unless there is significant clinical change to your patient/clients mental health status.

The basic requirement is a new referral letter stating the number of additional sessions needed.

To read the legislation on Reviews directly, please follow this link: MBS 2717 and scroll down to the heading "REVIEWING A GP MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PLAN -(Item 2712,92114 or 92126)"

When can an Initial Review take place?

The Initial Review can take place anywhere between 4 weeks - 6months from the date that the Mental Health Treatment Plan was first initiated.

Directly below is the information from the MBS Associated Notes 0.56 of Item Number 2712

The recommended frequency for the review service, allowing for variation in patients' needs, is:

an initial review, which should occur between four weeks to six months after the completion of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan; and
if required, a further review can occur three months after the first review.

An Initial Review can only take place once in the life of a MHTP. Thereafter, all Reviews have a 90 day limitation before the next Review can be completed.

Information for GPs

The Better Access Initiative simplified for the General Practitioner

Our aim is to clarify frequent questions around Mental Health Care Plans, Referrals, Reviews and Medicare Legislation / Requirements

THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE / TREATMENT PLAN
(MHTP)

THE REFERRAL LETTER

Can I refer the client/patient for all 10 sessions at one time?

Even if you refer your client/patient for all 10 sessions at once, Medicare only allows the client/patient a maximum of 6 sessions on a referral. This means that a client/patient will still need to return to their GP for a subsequent referral if further sessions are needed.

Directly below is the information from the MBS Associated Notes AN 0.56

Does a Referral Letter expire?

Unlike other referral letters to Specialists, the MHTP referral letters do not have an expiry date.

A referral is valid until the referred number of sessions have been completed, regardless of whether a patient chooses to change their allied mental health provider.

Mental health referrals do not expire at the end of the calendar year either. If your patient has unused services on their referral at the end of the calendar year, they can access those services in the following calendar year.

In other words, the referral letter remains valid and can still be used by a client from one calendar year into the next without the patient/client needing to experience disruption in their therapy.

It is important to take note that in order for a patient/client to access the subsequent sessions of treatment, a Review is not required unless the clinical needs of the patient/client have changed. A new Referral stating the number of additional sessions/ services is the basic requirement.

For a Referral Letter to comply with Medicare’s Best Practice Guidelines it will need to contain the following:

The date

The client/patient name, date of birth and address

The provisional mental health diagnosis

The number of sessions being referred for

Your Name, Provider Number and Signature

A statement about whether the patient has a mental health treatment plan or a psychiatrist assessment and management plan.

THE REVIEW

According to Medicare Legislation / Best Practice Guidelines, there are conditions to when a Review is required or not required.

When is a Review required?

A Review is required when there is a clinical change in the Mental Health of your patient/client.

When is a Review NOT required?

A Review is not a requirement to access subsequent rebatable sessions unless there is significant clinical change to your patient/clients mental health status.

The basic requirement is a new referral letter stating the number of additional sessions needed.

To read the legislation on Reviews directly, please follow this link: MBS 2717 and scroll down to the heading "REVIEWING A GP MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PLAN -(Item 2712,92114 or 92126)"

When can an Initial Review take place?

The Initial Review can take place anywhere between 4 weeks - 6months from the date that the Mental Health Treatment Plan was first initiated.

Directly below is the information from the MBS Associated Notes 0.56 of Item Number 2712

An Initial Review can only take place once in the life of a MHTP. Thereafter, all Reviews have a 90 day limitation before the next Review can be completed.

How many Reviews is a client/patient allowed per year?

Up to 2 Reviews in a 12 month period are allowed for.

For additional information we have these links for ease of reference..

The Australian Psychological Society:

Australian Government Department of Health:

Australian Government Department of Health:

Information for GPs

The Better Access Initiative simplified for the General Practitioner Our aim is to clarify frequent questions around Mental Health Care Plans, Referrals, Reviews and Medicare Legislation / Requirements

THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE / TREATMENT PLAN (MHTP)

THE REFERRAL LETTER

Can I refer the client/patient for all 10 sessions at one time?

​

Even if you refer your client/patient for all 10 sessions at once, Medicare only allows the client/patient a maximum of 6 sessions on a referral. This means that a client/patient will still need to return to their GP for a subsequent referral if further sessions are needed.

​

Directly below is the information from the MBS Associated Notes AN 0.56

​

​

Does a Referral Letter expire?

​

Unlike other referral letters to Specialists, the MHTP referral letters do not have an expiry date.

A referral is valid until the referred number of sessions have been completed, regardless of whether a patient chooses to change their allied mental health provider.

Mental health referrals do not expire at the end of the calendar year either. If your patient has unused services on their referral at the end of the calendar year, they can access those services in the following calendar year.

In other words, the referral letter remains valid and can still be used by a client from one calendar year into the next without the patient/client needing to experience disruption in their therapy.

​

It is important to take note that in order for a patient/client to access the subsequent sessions of treatment, a Review is not required unless the clinical needs of the patient/client have changed. A new Referral stating the number of additional sessions/ services is the basic requirement.

For a Referral Letter to comply with Medicare’s Best Practice Guidelines it will need to contain the following:

The date

The client/patient name, date of birth and address

The provisional mental health diagnosis

The number of sessions being referred for

Your Name, Provider Number and Signature

A statement about whether the patient has a mental health treatment plan or a psychiatrist assessment and management plan.

THE REVIEW According to Medicare Legislation / Best Practice Guidelines, there are conditions to when a Review is required or not required.

When is a Review required?

​

A Review is required when there is a clinical change in the Mental Health of your patient/client.

​

When is a Review NOT required?

​

A Review is not a requirement to access subsequent rebatable sessions unless there is significant clinical change to your patient/clients mental health status.

The basic requirement is a new referral letter stating the number of additional sessions needed.

​

To read the legislation on Reviews directly, please follow this link: MBS 2717 and scroll down to the heading "REVIEWING A GP MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PLAN -(Item 2712,92114 or 92126)"

When can an Initial Review take place?

​

The Initial Review can take place anywhere between 4 weeks - 6months from the date that the Mental Health Treatment Plan was first initiated.

​

Directly below is the information from the MBS Associated Notes 0.56 of Item Number 2712

​

An Initial Review can only take place once in the life of a MHTP. Thereafter, all Reviews have a 90 day limitation before the next Review can be completed.

​

How many Reviews is a client/patient allowed per year?

​Up to 2 Reviews in a 12 month period are allowed for.

​​

​

For additional information we have these links for ease of reference..

The Australian Psychological Society:

​

​

Australian Government Department of Health:

​

​

​

​

Australian Government Department of Health:

The Better Access Initiative simplified for the General Practitioner

Our aim is to clarify frequent questions around Mental Health Care Plans, Referrals, Reviews and Medicare Legislation / Requirements

THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE / TREATMENT PLAN
(MHTP)

THE REVIEW

According to Medicare Legislation / Best Practice Guidelines, there are conditions to when a Review is required or not required.

Up to 2 Reviews in a 12 month period are allowed for.