“No Gap” healthcare is a concept that is widely known.
From Spectacles to Physiotherapy, and of course the humble GP, we are offered Medicare or Private Health Insurance funded services with “no gap” or “out of pocket costs” to pay, making the service effectively FREE for the consumer.
A number of years ago, services by Psychologists and Clinical Psychologists were included for the first time on the Medicare MBS, under the “Better Access to Mental Health Care” initiative.
Although this has been available for some time, the cost of seeing a Psychologist has remained high, and very few true “bulk billing psychologists” exist, with the consumer being expected to pay out of pocket costs of between $60 and $180 per session.
Sometimes the holder of a Health Care or Pension Card are offered bulk billed sessions.
However, a new kid on the block, The Talk Shop – Counselling and Psychology, aims to change this by offering sessions with Registered and Clinical Psychologists to all Medicare Card Holders with the appropriate referral.