How a Mental Health Treatment Plan Works

MHTP Basics

A Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) currently permits a patient to have 10 Medicare rebated (or bulk-billed) appointments per year between January 1st and December 31st. On January 1st of each year, the MHTP counter resets and the client has access to 10 appointments for the new calendar year ending on December 31st.

A GP can refer for a maximum of 6 sessions at a time. In between each block of sessions, the patient must go back to the GP for either a review (MBS item 2712), a consultation (MBS item 2713), or just a visit. At each trip to the GP, the GP must write a letter to the psychologist requesting more sessions.

A GP is only allowed to do 1 review (2712) per 3-month period. However, they are allowed to do unlimited consultations (2713) and visits (no MHTP-specific code).

A MHTP never expires but a new one can be created every 12 months. Medicare will not pay for the creation of a new MHTP within 3 months of a MHTP review (2712).

Click here to see the Medicare explanatory note on ‘GP Mental Health Treatment Items’.

MHTP Steps in Detail

  1. The MHTP is created and an initial block of 6 appointments is requested. The GP sends a referral letter along with the MHTP to the psychologist.

  2. The patient attends all 6 appointments.

  3. The psychologist writes an update letter to the GP and lets the patient know to make an appointment to see the GP.

  4. The patient attends an appointment at the GP for a review (2712)/consultation (2713)/visit to discuss the MHTP.

  5. The GP writes a letter to the psychologist requesting a new block of appointments - usually 6.

  6. Steps 2 to 5 repeat until the end of treatment. The referral never expires.

*NOTE* - If a client uses 10 bulk-billed sessions in a year but still has some left on their referral, they must wait until next year to use them. Remote Therapy admin will keep track of this and reach out to the patient in the new year.