Telehealth - Fees and Rebates

COVID-19 Medicare Telehealth Services

From 13 March 2020 to 30 September 2020 (inclusive), new temporary MBS telehealth items have been made available to help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19 and provide protection for patients and health care providers.

Who is eligible for Medicare Telehealth Rebates?
The new temporary MBS telehealth items are available to providers of Medicare telehealth services for a wide range of consultations. All Medicare eligible Australians can now receive these services. The new temporary telehealth MBS items will substitute current face-to-face consultations that are available under the MBS.

Are Private Health Rebates available for Telehealth? 
The majority of Australian health funds have agreed to provide coverage for teleconsultations provided by psychologists, from Monday 30 March, during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This is subject to the following conditions:

• The patient is undergoing an existing course of treatment, and has seen the psychologist providing the teleconsultation over the past six months, or
• For new patients, the telepsychology service has been recommended by their general practitioner, and
• The service is delivered before 30 September 2020, and
• The service is undertaken in accordance with Australian Psychological Society guidelines.