Medicare pays towards autism and neurodevelopmental assessment only for people aged under twenty five, through items 135 and 289. There is no equivalent item for adults. Better Access rebates cover treatment, not assessment. Australian university psychology clinics charge between one hundred and nine hundred and fifty dollars, depending on the clinic and any concession.
23 entries in this section.
The official government schedule where you can look up any Medicare item number and see the exact schedule fee and the benefit Medicare actually pays.
Where: National
What to know. Every dollar figure in this section was read from MBS Online after the 1 July 2026 fee indexation. Fees change each 1 July, so check the item number here rather than trusting a third party summary. Figures widely repeated online are often a year or more out of date.
mbsonline.gov.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual and 10 group mental health treatment sessions per calendar year, once a GP writes a mental health treatment plan.
- Some free, some paid
- Government run
132 011
Where: National
What to know. This funds treatment, not the assessment that produces a diagnosis. The GP mental health treatment plan is item 2715, fee $108.95, rebated in full. A 50 minute session rebates $149.05 with a clinical psychologist under item 80010, or $101.55 with a registered psychologist under item 80110. Anything the practitioner charges above that is your gap. Eligibility requires a clinically diagnosed mental disorder needing at least a moderate level of support.
health.gov.au/our-work/better-access-initiative
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
The only Medicare items that pay directly towards autism and neurodevelopmental assessment and the treatment plan that follows.
- Some free, some paid
- Government run
132 011
Where: National
What to know. A paediatrician under item 135, or a psychiatrist under item 289, can claim once in a patient's lifetime for a patient aged under 25: fee $320.55, benefit $272.50. That plan allows referral for up to 4 allied health assessment sessions, where psychologist item 82000 rebates $101.55 for a minimum 50 minutes each, and up to 20 treatment sessions, both capped per lifetime, with a maximum of 10 per course of treatment. Items 137 and 139 cover eligible disabilities. There is no equivalent item for anyone aged 25 or over.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
Once your out of pocket costs pass a yearly threshold, Medicare pays a higher benefit for the rest of the calendar year, which matters when a diagnosis takes several specialist appointments.
132 011
Where: National
What to know. 2026 thresholds: $594.40 for the Original Safety Net, $861.20 for the Extended Safety Net if you hold a concession card or get Family Tax Benefit Part A, and $2,699.10 for everyone else. Couples and families must register to combine their costs, which is not automatic. Only invoices you have paid in full count towards the threshold.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
Explains what bulk billing is, what it can cover, and how to find a health professional who bulk bills so a visit costs you nothing.
132 011
Where: National
What to know. Bulk billing is always the individual practitioner's choice, never a right. Always ask when you book, and ask again about each separate service in the visit, because you can be bulk billed for one item and charged for another on the same day.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/bulk-billing
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
Free government service that helps you work out what mental health support you need and connects you to it, including free walk in Medicare Mental Health Centres.
1800 595 212
Where: National
What to know. No referral, no Medicare card and no payment required. Worth trying if the cost of private psychology is the barrier. It is a general mental health service, not an autism or ADHD assessment service.
medicarementalhealth.gov.au
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
The official page listing what you pay for a subsidised prescription, which sets the cost of ADHD medication once it is prescribed.
Where: National
What to know. From 1 January 2026 a PBS prescription costs up to $25.00, or $7.70 with a concession card. The PBS Safety Net thresholds are $1,748.20 general and $277.20 concessional, after which prescriptions cost less or nothing for the rest of the year. Not every ADHD medicine or dose is PBS subsidised in every state, so ask the prescriber what it will actually cost.
pbs.gov.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
If a GP prepares a chronic condition management plan, Medicare will rebate up to 5 allied health sessions per calendar year, covering psychology, speech pathology and occupational therapy.
- Some free, some paid
- Government run
132 011
Where: National
What to know. The rebate is $63.40 per session, psychology item 10968 and speech pathology item 10970, which is lower than Better Access, and the cap of 5 is shared across all allied health types combined. The plan itself is item 965. Plans made before 1 July 2025 remain usable until 30 June 2027. This is a separate cap to Better Access, not a top up of it.
www9.health.gov.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
An ongoing income support payment for people whose disability or medical condition permanently stops them from working 15 hours or more a week. The same line also covers Carer Payment, Carer Allowance and related concession cards.
132 717Disability and carers line, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.
Where: National
What to know. You must meet both medical and non medical rules, and the medical rules are assessed against impairment tables, not against a diagnosis. An autism or ADHD diagnosis by itself does not qualify you, and the condition must be likely to persist more than 2 years. Gather thorough medical evidence before claiming, as weak evidence is the most common reason claims fail. NDIS funding and Centrelink payments are entirely separate systems with separate rules, so being an NDIS participant does not make a person eligible for the Disability Support Pension, or the reverse.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/disability-support-pension
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
An income support payment for someone who provides constant care to a person with disability or a severe medical condition and therefore cannot work substantially.
132 717
Where: National
What to know. As at 20 March 2026 the maximum single rate is $1,200.90 a fortnight including supplements, and $905.20 each for a couple. Rates are adjusted every 20 March and 20 September. It is income and assets tested. Carer Payment is a different payment to Carer Allowance and you may be able to get both.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/carer-payment
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
A fortnightly supplement for someone caring for a person with disability or a medical condition, paid on top of most other payments.
132 717
Where: National
What to know. $162.60 a fortnight as at 1 January 2026, adjusted each 1 January. It is not taxable and not assets tested, but you and your partner must earn under $250,000 a year combined. It can be paid alongside Carer Payment.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/carer-allowance
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
The official list of childhood conditions that can qualify a carer for Carer Allowance without the usual functional assessment.
132 717
Where: National
What to know. Autism Spectrum Disorder is on the List when diagnosed by a psychiatrist, a developmental paediatrician or an experienced registered psychologist using DSM-5. ADHD is not on the List, so a carer of a child with ADHD alone is assessed under the standard functional care assessment instead. The List only applies to children under 16 and only to Carer Allowance, not Carer Payment.
dss.gov.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
An automatic annual payment of up to $1,000 for each child who qualifies you for Carer Allowance.
132 717
Where: National
What to know. You do not claim this. It is paid automatically if you are getting Carer Allowance for a child under 16 for a period that includes 1 July.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
An automatic annual payment of up to $600 for people receiving Carer Allowance or Carer Payment.
132 717
Where: National
What to know. Paid automatically each year if you receive a qualifying carer payment for a period that includes 1 July. It is paid per person you care for.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/carer-supplement
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
A concession card that cuts the price of PBS medicines and unlocks concession rates at many services, issued automatically with certain Centrelink payments.
132 717
Where: National
What to know. You do not apply for this one. If you qualify, it is posted to you. Worth knowing about because several university assessment clinics charge substantially less to Health Care Card holders, and it lowers the Medicare and PBS Safety Net thresholds.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/health-care-card
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
A concession card you can claim on the basis of low income alone, without needing to receive any other Centrelink payment.
132 717
Where: National
What to know. This is the one many people miss, because unlike the standard Health Care Card you have to claim it. It is assessed on your income over the previous 8 weeks, so a period of reduced work can make you eligible even if your annual income would not.
servicesaustralia.gov.au/low-income-health-care-card
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
University training clinic with a dedicated neurodevelopmental service assessing ADHD and autism for people aged up to 25, at a fraction of private fees.
(07) 3365 6451
Where: QLD
What to know. Assessment is $600, or $300 for full time students, health care card holders, veteran card holders and pensioners, including all interviews, testing, the written report and a feedback session. Therapy is $40, or $25 concession. No Medicare rebate applies, because provisional psychologists cannot hold a Medicare provider number, so the fee is the total cost. Wait times were listed as 2 to 9 months once on the waitlist. No assessments for anyone 26 or over, and it does not currently administer the ADOS.
clinic.psychology.uq.edu.au/fees
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
University training clinic offering comprehensive assessment covering ADHD and autism, plus specific learning disorders and giftedness.
1300 275 228
Where: VIC
What to know. Assessment is $500, or $400 for Health Care Card holders, including report and feedback. Therapy is $20 per 50 minute session. No Medicare funded services and not an NDIS provider. It is no longer accepting new referrals for adult ADHD assessment for anyone over 25. Those aged 25 and under receive a comprehensive assessment that may include autism assessment where clinically warranted. The clinic uses identity first language.
acu.edu.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
Low cost training clinic in Melbourne's west offering cognitive and learning assessments including neurodiversity screening, with no referral needed.
1300 842 864
Where: VIC
What to know. Assessments are $300, or $100 with a health care card, which is among the lowest published fees in the country. Individual counselling and group programs are $20. No GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician referral is required. No Medicare rebates, no bulk billing and no NDIS referrals accepted. Note the wording is neurodiversity screening within a cognitive and learning assessment, so confirm what the report will and will not conclude before booking.
vu.edu.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
Student led clinic offering adult psychometric assessment for ADHD and learning disorders, and low cost therapy.
(02) 9114 4343
Where: NSW
What to know. Assessment is $300, or $150 for full time students or unemployed people, including interview, testing, feedback and a full report, usually over a single day. Therapy is $20 a session, or $10 reduced. Two important limits: when checked on 3 August 2026 the adult ADHD assessment waiting list was listed as Closed, and the clinic states it does not diagnose autism. Check the website for reopening before making plans around it.
sydney.edu.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
University clinic assessing ADHD in children aged 7 and over, adolescents and adults, at a reduced fee.
(02) 6201 5843
Where: ACT
What to know. Reduced fee of $750 to $950 depending on complexity, which is higher than most training clinics but below typical private rates. It does not assess autism for any age group. When checked on 3 August 2026 the page carried a banner saying the referral list was temporarily closed while the text below said referrals were being accepted, so ring first to confirm which applies.
canberra.edu.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
University training clinic in Perth offering very low cost therapy, and cognitive assessment when its assessment referrals are open.
(08) 9266 1717
Where: WA
What to know. Listed as not accepting referrals for cognitive assessments until further notice when checked on 3 August 2026, so treat it as a therapy option for now and re-check for assessments. Published fees are $45 a standard consultation, $25 for groups and $255 for a cognitive assessment, which would be exceptionally cheap if it reopens. Not a registered provider for Medicare, NDIS or private health insurers. Separate adult and child and adolescent clinics share the same contact details.
curtin.edu.au/...
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
Student led psychology service at the Elizabeth clinic offering therapy and cognitive and educational assessment at concession rates.
(08) 8302 0986
Where: SA
What to know. Consultations are $30, or $15 concession, and cognitive or educational assessments are capped at $450, or $250 concession. Its own FAQ states it does not currently provide autism assessments and that ADHD assessments are coming, with a waitlist you can join. When checked on 3 August 2026 the page still showed 2025 service dates, so ring to confirm current availability and fees before relying on it.
auhealthclinics.com/services/psychology
Source page opened and read 3 August 2026.
