The ASD Clinic is a private clinic and fees for services apply. All payments are due at the time of the appointment. The current fee schedule is listed below. Please contact reception for details about fees for other services, such as presentations and school visits.
All consultations are 50 minutes long unless other arrangements are made with the Psychologist.
The ASD Clinic Psychologists understand that from time to time appointment times need to be changed or cancelled. We send courtesy SMS reminders a few days prior to appointments, however we still expect clients to remember their appointments and arrive on time. Please email reception at reception@theasdclinic.com.au or call the clinic on 8851 3600 to reschedule or cancel your appointment if you are unable to attend. We require at least 24 hours notice in order to offer appointments to other clients on the waiting list. Missed appointments and late cancellations (less than 24 hours notice) will be subject to a cancellation fee of a minimum of 50% of the usual scheduled fee. This charge cannot be claimed through Medicare or your Private Health fund. Clients with NDIS funding will be charged a cancellation fee according to the NDIS price guide.
Some psychological therapy and assessment services are eligible for partial rebates from Medicare. An overview of the requirements for eligibility is provided below with web links for further information.
We are able to process your Medicare claim through our EasyClaim facility if you are attending the appointment in person. You will need to pay the full amount of the consultation fee and we will then lodge your claim and deposit the rebate into your cheque or savings account. Please bring your Medicare card and a debit card with you in order to process your claim. If you are seeing your Psychologist via Telehealth we will email you with a receipt for you to submit to Medicare to claim the rebate.
Clients must determine whether they are going to claim their consultation/assessment fees through either one of the Medicare programs or their Private
Health fund. Please note that Private Health funds vary widely in the amount of rebate that can be claimed and you should contact your insurer about
this. You are unable to use Medicare and your Private Health insurance for the same consultation.
Unfortunately some of our clients have attended a session at our clinic for either counselling or an assessment under the wrong impression that their referral was valid for a Medicare rebate. When you visit your Health Professional please be very clear what you are seeking (see below) and ask them to write a referral letter including the following information: client's name, client's date of birth, client's address, reason for referral, the number of sessions requested, the referring practitioners' Medicare Provider Number, and the referring practitioner's signature.
This plan must be obtained through a General Practitioner (GP), Paediatrician, or Psychiatrist. We would appreciate that this paperwork is forwarded by post, email (reception@theasdclinic.com.au), or fax (03 9857 0975) prior to your first consultation to assist with the administration of your billing.
In order for the MHCP referral to be valid, we require a referral letter from your GP, Paediatrician, or Psychiatrist. The referral letter must include the following information: client's name, client's date of birth, client's address, reason for referral, request for services under Better Access, the number of sessions requested, the referring practitioners' Medicare Provider Number, and the referring practitioner's signature.
The plan allows you to claim a rebate for up to 10 sessions in a calendar year. A review by the referring GP, Paediatrician, or Psychiatrist is required after the first 6 sessions.
The Medicare rebate per 50 minute consultation with a Clinical Psychologist is $137.05 and a Psychologist is $93.35.
PLEASE NOTE: The Mental Health Care Plan does not cover the assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders. The plan also does not cover specific counselling of Autism (as ASD is not defined as a mental health disorder), but it does cover frequently observed mental health issues such as Anxiety, Depression, and sleep problems.
The Medicare Safety Net is designed to protect high users of health services from large out-of-pocket expenses. More information can be found on the
Medicare website.
A number of services for people under 25 years of age are eligible for Medicare rebates if they are provided as part of a Diagnosis and/or Treatment Plan established by a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist.
Psychologists can provide a total of four services to collaborate with a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist on the assessment and diagnosis of Autism. The person must be under 25 years old and have been referred by a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist. The rebate for each session is $93.35. For children being assessed at The ASD Clinic this item only covers the child’s assessment session with a Psychologist – the total rebate for the assessment is $93.35. For further information see the Medicare Benefits Schedule.
Psychologists can provide treatment services for clients under 25 following diagnosis of Autism. This plan can be prepared by a Paediatrician (MBS item 135) or a Psychiatrist (MBS item 289). Twenty services in total are eligible for the Medicare rebate - any combination of Psychology, Speech or Occupational Therapy. The rebate at our clinic is $93.35 per session.
Some psychological therapy services may be eligible for rebates through your Private Health Insurance extras cover. Please contact your insurance provider to confirm your eligibility for rebates. Upon payment of your fees The ASD Clinic will provide you with a receipt that you can submit to your health insurer for a rebate.
Clients must determine whether they are going to claim their consultation/assessment fees through either one of the Medicare programs or their Private Health fund. Please note that Private Health funds vary widely in the amount of rebate that can be claimed and you should contact your insurer about this. You are unable to use Medicare and your Private Health insurance for the same consultation.
Clients who have NDIS packages may use their funding to cover or partially cover the fees for services at The ASD Clinic if their package is self-managed or plan-managed by a third party. There will be out-of-pocket expenses for clients whose NDIS packages are plan-managed. Please contact reception or your Psychologist directly for further information.
The funding category that can be used to claim Psychology services at our clinic is Capacity Building - Improved Daily Living. The item code is 15_054_0128_1_3 Assessment, Recommendation, Therapy, or Training - Psychology.
The Psychologists at The ASD Clinic are not registered with NDIA as providers of services. Therefore, clients who have packages managed directly by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) are unable to use their NDIS funds to pay for services at The ASD Clinic.
A First Consultation DVD (length 103 minutes)
Drawing on his clinical experience and popular presentation style, Richard talks about the day to day challenges faced by people with Asperger's Syndrome and suggests a range of support strategies.