The Better Access initiative allows Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual and 10 group allied mental health services per calendar year to patients with an assessed mental health disorder.
But while Wyndham House Clinic GP Dr John Guymer said it was a "good idea" in theory, he claimed the initiative was difficult to implement in a town like Shepparton.
“There are simply not enough resources here to make it practical,” he said.
“To access the program, you must have a diagnosed mental illness, such as depression or severe anxiety.
“You then need to get a mental health plan from a doctor who is familiar with you.
“If a doctor isn't familiar with you, it will take time to build that. It’s not just a normal consult, it takes at least two visits.
“Many GPs do not like spending time on mental health problems and want to quickly refer patients on. But where to?”
Under Better Access, rebates are available to patients for selected mental health services provided by GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, eligible social workers and occupational therapists.
Health professionals are free to determine their own fees for the professional services they provide, with charges in excess of the Medicare rebate the responsibility of the patient.
Pure Empowerment clinical director Rachael Willis said there was often a widespread misconception the Better Access mental health sessions were free.
But while local public services such as headspace may bulk bill, she claimed this was generally not sustainable for private practices.
Ms Willis estimated about 90 per cent of clinics in town were private, but said a handful would bulk bill “at their discretion”.
The gap between the Medicare rebate and practitioner fees can be between $50 and $100 — or more, depending on the practitioner.
GV Developmental Clinic practice manager Sacha Finlayson was concerned this fee gap could make it difficult for people struggling financially to access mental health care.
“But we’d go under in a month if we bulk-billed, it’s simply not sustainable,” she said.
Ms Willis clarified that the fee charged to the client was not the full fee a practice received or banked.
“You can nearly divide the fee by three — a third may go to the practitioner, another third to paying staff and the remaining third to overheads and paying off training,” she said.
“So this really isn’t sustainable to keep doors open on a practice and pay staff and overheads.
“Private practitioners don’t get paid hourly like others in public services, they only get paid per client session, so lots of indirect client time is not billed for — and if a private practitioner is on leave or sick, they don’t get paid.”
