Blog article
Mental health and private insurance - what's covered?

Before we dive into support, let’s acknowledge Australia’s mental health in a world still impacted by COVID. The 2020-2021 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing showed that:2
- Almost 50% of Australians aged 16 – 85 have had a mental disorder at some point in their life. 43% or 8.6 million people had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life.
- 21% of Australians aged 16 – 85 had a recent or current mental disorder. 21% or 4.2 million reported a mental disorder in the 12 months leading up to the survey.
- Almost 40% of Australians aged 16 – 24 had a recent or current mental disorder. 39% reported a mental disorder in the 12 months leading up to the survey.
- Anxiety was the most common group of mental disorders.
These stats show a rise in mental health issues, especially in young people.2 They can sound scary, but the good news is that many mental health issues can be managed if you get help.
If you’re worried about your mental health, a good place to start is with a visit to your GP. Your GP can assess your symptoms, make a diagnosis, create a health treatment plan, or refer you to a mental health professional. Having a health treatment plan means Medicare might help with some of your costs.
The other good news is that private health insurance can help cover some of the cost of mental health treatment, too.
Here’s what can be covered by private health insurance, and how it works.
Psychology
When you get mental health treatment outside of hospital, consultations with a Psychologist can be covered by extras cover.
What can a Psychologist help you with?
Psychologists have a diverse range of skills, experience and expertise. They can help manage a wide range of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, addictions and eating disorders.
When you seek help from a psychologist, you might see a psychologist with general registration, or one who also has a specific area of practice endorsement. More information about the approved areas of practice is available from The Psychology Board of Australia.
What’s covered under private insurance?
Some levels of extras cover include cover for both Psychology and Clinical Psychology. Some include just one or the other, and some don’t cover any psychology at all. So if you want extras cover for Psychology or Clinical Psychology, make sure to check specifically for it.
At HBF, extras cover that includes psychology provides benefits for individual, couple, family and group consultations.