The Better Access Program is funded by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing. The Better Access initiative promotes greater interaction between medical practitioners and allied mental health professionals, with GPs able to shape and direct the treatment of mental disorders through the new GP Mental Health Care Plan item.
Medicare rebates are available for up to 12 individual and 12 group allied mental health services per calendar year to patients with an assessed mental disorder who are referred by:
- a medical practitioner managing the patient under a GP Mental Health Care Plan or under a psychiatrist assessment and management plan or
- a psychiatrist or paediatrician.