Know what
you’re paying for.

Ask for an itemised estimate

• What is the total fee, and how many appointments does it include?
• Are the written report and feedback appointment included?
• What Medicare item, if any, will be billed, and what eligibility or referral requirements apply?
• What is the expected rebate and the amount I pay myself?
• What do follow-up appointments and repeat-prescription consultations cost?
• What are the deposit, cancellation and rescheduling terms?

Does Medicare cover the whole cost?

Not necessarily. Services Australia explains that bulk billing covers the appointment cost, while other arrangements may leave an amount for you to pay. Confirm the fee and rebate for the actual service with the practice. A mental health treatment plan should not be treated as a promise that an ADHD assessment will be free.

Source: Services Australia: mental health care and Medicare ↗

What does the waiting-list estimate mean?

Ask whether the estimate is for the first appointment, completion of the assessment or a follow-up appointment. Ask how the practice will contact you, whether it offers a cancellation list, and what happens if the waiting time changes.

We do not yet have a comparable, dated national dataset for ADHD assessment waits or complete assessment costs. Publishing a single average would hide differences between services and what they include.

Keep medicine funding separate

A PBS authority concerns subsidised medicine costs. State prescribing approvals are a separate requirement. Ask the prescriber and pharmacy what applies to the particular medicine and prescription.

Source: NSW Health: prescribing approvals and PBS authorities ↗