Better Access Mental Health Program

From 1 November 2025, changes will be made to the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners Initiative through the Medicare Benefits Schedule, subject to the passage of legislation.

Consistent with recommendations in the  Better Access Evaluation  published in 2022, the changes will:

• Improve the Better Access initiative to better meet the needs of individuals and improve equity of access to mental health supports and services.
• Support the holistic relationship between a patient and their healthcare provider, leading to improved patient outcomes.
• Reduce the administrative burden and complexity for general practitioners (GPs) and prescribed medical practitioners (PMPs) by providing greater flexibility by using time-tiered professional (general) attendance MBS items to review a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP), refer a patient for mental health treatment and undertake general mental health consultations.

Overview of the changes: 

From 1 November 2025: 

• A Medicare benefit will only be payable for MHTP preparation, referrals for treatment services and reviews of a MHTP when a patient has seen either a GP/PMP at the patients  MyMedicare registered practice  or if the patient is not registered with MyMedicare, their  usual medical practitioner.
• GP and PMP MHTP review items (2712, 92114, 92126, 277, 92120, and 92132) and GP and PMP ongoing mental health consultation items (2713, 92115, 92127, 279, 92121 and 92133) will be removed from the MBS.
• Removal of the 12 review and mental health consultation items provides GPs and PMPs greater flexibility to use the most appropriate time-tiered professional (general) attendance item, reflecting the time spent with patients. This includes items for longer consultations and, where applicable, the triple bulk billing incentive to review MHTPs and deliver mental health care and support to patients.
• The MyMedicare and usual medical practitioner requirements will also apply to  GP/PMP telehealth items for MHTPs, with these services no longer exempt from the established clinical relationship rule. Further information on the GP MBS telehealth (video and phone) established clinical relationship criteria and exemptions will be available from 1 November 2025 in an explanatory note on MBS Online.
• Any MHTP referral dated  prior to 1 November 2025 will remain valid  until all treatment services specified in the referral (within the maximum session limit for the course of treatment) have been delivered to the patient.

For further information on the Better Access Mental Health Program changes see:  * MBS Online - Better Access changes from 1 November 2025*
 

Published on: November 3, 2025