A telehealth therapy session is one held by a phone call or video call; you would typically be at home. More information on our Telehealth therapy page.
With the current COVID-19 measures, wherever possible we will be holding sessions via telehealth, instead of face-to-face.
“Eligibility” refers to the eligibility criteria for Medicare or other funding organisations for when they pay for part or all of a telehealth session. In principal there is nothing preventing you having a telehealth session at any time if your Clinician agrees that it is suitable.
This page reflects our current understanding of telehealth eligibility.
Can / will my therapy session held using telehealth?
Whether your session is held remotely via telehealth, or as normal in our office, depends on:
- The suitability of telehealth for your therapy, as assessed by your Clinician
- Your own access to a suitably private space and phone / video call device
- The telehealth criteria of who is wholly or partly funding your therapy (Medicare, TAC, Workcover, NDIS etc – see below)
Medicare funded telehealth sessions
From 6 April to 30 September 2020, Medicare bulk-billed and Medicare rebatable sessions can be held via telehealth (instead of face-to-face), where suitable.
(A Referral and Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your doctor is still required to be eligible for Medicare funding. How the sessions are held does not affect this requirement.
If you already have a valid Referral and MHCP, you don’t need a new one for telehealth).
Fully self-funded sessions
If you are paying for the session fully yourself (and won’t be claiming from Medicare or an insurer), it is solely up to your Clinician and you to decide if telehealth is suitable or not.
TAC sessions
Our understanding is that currently due to COVID-19, ALL TAC sessions are eligible for telehealth.
NDIS sessions
Our understanding is the NDIS normally already has no constraints on the use of telehealth, so suitability is the only criteria
Workcover sessions
Workcover approval for telehealth sessions is required for each specific Client; contact your Workcover agent.
