Claiming Mental Health Treatment with Peoplecare in 2024

As a national, member-owned private health insurer, Peoplecare is dedicated to providing support to improve its members' health and well-being. Supporting the mental health of their members is a key part of Peoplecare's offering.

If you are looking to commence therapy with a psychologist and you have Peoplecare insurance, the cost of your therapy may be covered by your plan. This comprehensive Peoplecare health insurance guide will help you understand whether you can claim Peoplecare psychologist support.

Table of contents

• Do Peoplecare extras cover online psychology?

• What's covered by Peoplecare?

• Which Peoplecare policy covers psychology rebates?

• How much is the Peoplecare psychology claim?

• How do I use Peoplecare extras to claim the cost back of psychology?

• When do I need to make a claim?

• Can I claim a psychologist fee on Peoplecare and Medicare?

• Where can I find Peoplecare approved therapists?

• Easily claim Peoplecare psychology rebates with Talked

Do Peoplecare extras cover online psychology?

Peoplecare does provide psychology coverage for its members. This coverage is not only for in-person and face-to-face sessions but also covers psychology sessions provided online. Peoplecare understands that its members want the flexibility to access psychology services how they want when they want.

However, before claiming your psychology sessions, you will need to check whether they are covered under your extras cover. You can check this in by logging into your Peoplecare account.

What's covered by Peoplecare?

To have the cost (or part of the cost) of your psychology session covered by Peoplecare, the psychologist must meet their criteria and be approved by Peoplecare. You cannot book any therapist and expect to claim the cost back, even if you're covered for the service.

For example, Peoplecare only allows its members to claim online psychology from AHPRA registered psychologists and not from a counsellor. If you are unsure what the difference is between all these types of therapists, then check out our blog post explaining the distinctions.

We’ve made it easy for you to find therapists who are Peoplecare-approved. If you book with one of these online psychologists, you’ll be able to claim back the cost through your Peoplecare extras cover. We’ll explain how you can do this shortly.

In addition to choosing an approved psychologist, it’s important to check that your Peoplecare cover states that it has psychology coverage. Not all Peoplecare extras cover psychology so it’s always a good idea to confirm that your policy is clear in its coverage. Use the link below to log in to your Peoplecare account and verify whether your extras cover includes mental health services.

Check my Peoplecare cover >

Which Peoplecare policy covers psychology rebates?

If you are unsure whether your Peoplecare health insurance policy covers psychology, do not stress as we can help. Peoplecare states on their Psychology 101 page that there are only some extras cover that provide psychology rebates.

The current extras packages that are available to claim psychology benefits are:

• Premium Extras

• High Extras

Unfortunately, if you have any of the below cover, you are not eligible for a psychology rebate with Peoplecare:

• Mid Extras

• Simple Extras

Please note that if you have a Comprehensive Extras policy, you are still able to access psychology rebates (even though the extras cover is closed).

When seeking Peoplecare extras cover for psychology rebates, it's crucial to verify that the policy details include "Psychology." If you have a policy that supports Peoplecare psychology rebates, understanding the amount covered under the annual limit is just as important.

How much is the Peoplecare psychology claim?

The amount that you can receive back through your Peoplecare extras cover depends on the specifics of your cover. We highly recommend that you review the full disclosure PDF of your cover to understand how your policy works by logging into your Peoplecare account.

When choosing your Peoplecare extras cover, we recommend you look at the following:

Waiting Period – Peoplecare's extras policies typically include a waiting period. This is a specified duration during which you are not eligible for benefits from Peoplecare for any treatments received. Currently, Peoplecare enforces a two-month waiting period before members can claim psychology rebates. If you're thinking of joining Peoplecare, be aware that they have offered promotions in the past that waive this waiting period.

Limit Per Person – The Limit Per Person represents the maximum amount that is claimable by a person under their Peoplecare extras policy. This amount differs between plans. For example, under the Premium Extras cover, the limit per person is $500 and under the High Extras cover it is $400. If you are covered under now closed the Comprehensive Extras cover, the limit per person is $500.

Limit Per Family – The Limit Per Family represents the maximum amount that is claimable by a family under a policy. This amount varies for example under the Premium Extras cover, the limit per family is $1,000 and under the High Extras cover it is $800. If you are covered under the closed Comprehensive Extras cover, the limit per person is $650.

Initial and Subsequent Sessions – Peoplecare distinguishes the amount that it covers for psychology sessions into two separate categories: initial consult and subsequent consult. The amount that is paid under each category differs between policies, as well as the type of consult that is held.

The table below sets out in detail, as of the time of this guide, the amount that Peoplecare covers under their current extras policies.

*Peoplecare has closed the Comprehensive Extras policy. New members will not have access to this policy. However, if you currently have this extra cover, you are still able to access psychology rebates.

How do I use Peoplecare extras to claim the cost back of psychology?

When booking your Peoplecare psychology session on Talked, you will be required to pay for it upfront. After the completion of your session, we will provide you with an invoice that you can use to easily claim your session from Peoplecare.

If you wish to access your invoice through Talked, all you will need to do is log in to your account and download the invoice. We ensure that the invoice is populated automatically with all the information Peoplecare require to process your claim.

There are 4 ways that you can make your Peoplecare psychology claim after speaking with a Talked psychologist.

1. Use the Peoplecare mobile app

If you book a psychology session, you can claim by taking a photo or screenshot of the receipt or invoice. To be eligible to claim a Peoplecare session, you must make sure it contains the following details:

• Patient’s name

• Provider’s name and number

• Date of service

• Service provided

• Amount paid

After obtaining the receipt containing all the necessary details, submit your claim through the Peoplecare mobile app. Launch the app, snap a photo of your receipt, attach any relevant supporting documents, and press submit.

If you book a therapist through the Talked platform then you'll simply be able to log in to your account and download the invoice. The invoice is automatically populated with the exact information Peoplecare require, including the therapist's provider number.

Download the Peoplecare mobile app for iPhone or Android.

2. Claim through Online Member Services

Once you have your invoice you can log in to your Peoplecare account, select "make a claim" from the menu options, upload the invoice and click submit.

3. Email

Emailing your completed claim form to Peoplecare with your receipts at info@peoplecare.com.au is a form of lodgement that Peoplecare accepts.

4. Post

If you would prefer to post your claim, Peoplecare allows you to send your claim to them along with a claim form by post. You must ensure that it is addressed to Peoplecare, Locked Bag 33, Wollongong NSW 2500.

We also would like to note that if you are not seeing a psychologist through Talked and you're visiting your psychologist in person, you may be able to swipe your membership card at the psychologist's HICAPS machine. There's no need to pay the full amount, only the difference between the psychologist fee and the Peoplecare coverage.

When do I need to make a claim?

To secure your psychology or counselling rebate from Peoplecare, we recommend that all Peoplecare members looking to claim their rebate submit their claim immediately after your session. However, even if you do not submit the claim immediately, Peoplecare allows its members to submit claims two years from the date of your psychology session. However, we advise you to be aware that this policy is subject to change, so it is important to verify that it still applies.

Like Peoplecare, Medicare allows people claiming the Medicare rebate to submit their claims within two years of the session. However unlike Peoplecare, at Talked we are able to submit and process Medicare rebates on your behalf. Learn more on our Medicare page.

Can I claim a psychologist fee on Peoplecare and Medicare?

Unfortunately, Peoplecare does not allow simultaneous claims for psychology sessions alongside Medicare. If you are claiming the Medicare rebate for your psychology sessions, you will need to wait until you have exhausted your yearly sessions under Medicare before claiming with Peoplecare.

To find out if you’re eligible for a Medicare rebate, you must talk with your GP. The process can be a bit confusing, but check out our article on Medicare to learn more. Please note that even when claiming with Medicare, there may still be a gap fee depending on the fees charged by the psychologist.

However, if you are looking at claiming via Medicare, you can speak with Talked's bulk billed GP to claim your MHTP.

Where can I find Peoplecare approved therapists?

Finding a psychologist who is covered by Peoplecare has been made easy through Talked. You can choose from our extensive list of Peoplecare psychologists, book a session in 24 hours and then connect with them via our secure telehealth platform.

Easily claim Peoplecare psychology rebates with Talked

As discussed in this article, Peoplecare takes care in looking out for its members' mental health. Peoplecare enables its members to receive rebates for psychology sessions. Talked simplifies the process of claiming Peoplecare psychology rebates from a Peoplecare approved psychologist to just a button click. Following your session, you will receive an invoice with all the necessary details to claim your rebate.

Not with Peoplecare? Don't worry, we have your back. After you see your therapist, claim your mental health rebate from Bupa, ahm, Medibank, Police Health, CUA Health, Doctors Health, nib, HBF, HCF, CBHS Health, Australian Unity, GMHBA, Westfund and many more private health insurers.