The first session is free for members with a care plan, and subsequent sessions are just $60 a pop.
Medibank has joined the virtual mental health care fray with the launch of its Virtual Psychology Clinic today.
Customers of the private health insurer who have a mental health care plan will be able to see a psychologist with “minimal” wait time and no out-of-pocket costs for the first 50-minute appointment. Subsequent sessions will cost $60.
Medibank chief medical officer and practicing psychiatrist Dr Andrew Wilson said the new services would make mental health support more accessible for Medibank customers.
“With two in five Australians experiencing a mental health condition in their lifetime, it’s important that health companies such as ours do all we can to help people with their mental health,” said Dr Wilson.
“It’s really concerning that mental health support is becoming less and less accessible, with long wait lists to see a psychologist and ballooning out-of-pocket costs preventing people from seeking help.
“We hope to make mental health support more accessible for our customers.
“Medibank customers across Australia will be able to talk to a registered psychologist through the Virtual Psychology Clinic typically within a week and at much more affordable rates than the majority of claims that we are seeing at the moment, and in the comfort of their own home.
“The Virtual Psychology Clinic can be accessed anywhere around Australia, which is crucial for those living in rural and remote areas where health services are limited.”
Medibank customers can access the Virtual Psychology Clinic via the MyMedibank app and the Medibank website.
According to the fund’s announcement, all psychologists providing care through the clinic are “fully licensed and credentialed” and can help to support depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, grief and loss, stress and trauma.