Psychiatry appointments via telehealth will be bulk-billed for rural and regional Australians

Easy and affordable access to mental health support will be extended to regional and rural Australians under a $47 million investment in bulk billed telehealth appointments.

Easy and affordable access to mental health support will be extended to regional and rural Australians under a $47 million investment in bulk billed telehealth appointments.

The funding to restore bulk billing for video telehealth psychiatry consultations for Australians living outside metro areas will be included in the Albanese Government’s first budget, due to be handed down next week.

Psychiatrists will be able to bulk bill appointments from November 1, almost a year after the previous Coalition government scrapped the telehealth measure first introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the federal election Labor vowed to reinstate telehealth appointments in response to concerns people in rural and regional Australia had higher rates of mental health-related hospitalisation and suicide compared to those living in cities.

The cut of the previous loading meant many patients were forced to pay gap fees or give up treatment and some psychiatrists ceased to provide services in rural areas.

Telehealth appointments have become widely used since the pandemic and now Labor will extend bulk billing for psychiatry services.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the previous government’s cuts to regional mental health consultations during the pandemic were “unconscionable”.

“Our rural and regional communities have endured drought, bushfires, floods and the impacts of Covid-19 in recent years – a perfect storm of factors that have taken a significant toll on people’s mental health,” he said.

“The Albanese Government is restoring these vital mental health services, making them affordable and accessible to people wherever they live.”

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Assistant Minister Emma McBride, who was a hospital pharmacist before entering parliament, said the mental health of regional Australians would not be overlooked.

“This announcement will make a significant difference in the lives of people who live outside major cities, in rural and regional communities, as well as First Nations Australians and aged care residents,” she said.

“Reinstating this Medicare rebate for bulk-billed video psychiatry consultations will help thousands of Australians to access the support they need for their mental health and wellbeing.”

Health Minister Mark Butler has slammed the previous government for cutting bulk billing for telehealth psychiatry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The $47.7m in funding would restore a 50 per cent fee loading to bulk billed Medicare Benefits Schedule psychiatry services delivered by video telehealth, meaning more patients would be able to access support free of charge.

Reinstating additional Medicare support for telehealth psychiatry mental health consultations is expected to support about 410,000 consultations over four years.

Mr Butler will travel to the NSW south coast on Monday to announce the budget measure, alongside Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips.

Ms Phillips said many of her local constituents had shared “distressing stories” with her about the loss of bulk billed psychiatry video appointments.

“These services should never have been removed – it has had a detrimental impact on the mental health of many people in regional areas, so I am delighted to see that support made available once more,” she said.

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