Psychology services

Payment of Psychology services

• Payment is due on or before the day of the appointment.
• All appointments must be made in advance.
• A standard consultation is 50-60 minutes.
• It is important that you arrive on time for your appointment. Late arrival will result in reduced time for your session; however, the full session fee will still be charged.
• Paperwork will be sent to you prior to your initial appointment. Please ensure that this is completed and returned prior to your initial appointment.  Your appointment cannot proceed without returned consent and confidentiality paperwork being completed.  If you have not completed this paperwork, and need to do so during your appointment time, this will result in reduced time for your session and full session fee will still be charged.

 

Cost of Psychology services

• The recommended fee set by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) for a standard consultation with a Psychologist is $311 per 50-60-minute session. At the Literacy and Learning Centre we reduce this fee for local private paying families to assist them to access this service. Third parties such as Government Departments, Education Institutions, Insurance Companies etc are billed at the APS recommended fee.
• Please contact the Centre to enquire about current fees for our Psychology appointments and assessments.  Four weeks notice will be provided to clients for any change in fees for Psychology services.  

 

Health Fund Rebates 

• For Psychology consultations, health fund rebates may be available if you are a member of a fund and depending on your level of cover.
• For payments made at the clinic, HICAPS services will be available at the time of the appointment otherwise you will need to organise any available rebates from your health fund yourself.

 

Medicare rebates

• Children and / or their parents referred to a Psychologist under a GP Mental Health Plan, or by a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist, may receive up to 10 treatment session per year subsidised by Medicare.
• Medicare referrals must be initiated by the doctor, Paediatrician or Psychiatrist. If you do not have the appropriate referral at the time of consultation, you will not be able to claim a rebate for that visit.
• Clients must pay in full at the time of the appointment. A receipt will be provided for the client to claim the rebate.

 

Please note: NO CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN

•  Full payment is due at the time of or prior to the consultation or assessment.
• The invoice for the appointment will be sent on the day prior to the appointment.  You will be asked to provide credit card details, which will be encrypted and stored securely on our practice management software. Payment for the appointment will be processed on the day of the appointment (this will include a small credit card processing fee).  If you wish to make payment by different means, please inform the receptionist and arrange for this payment to be made prior to or at the time of the appointment.  Other acceptable forms of payment are Cash, EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard over the phone, Cheque. Payments by AMEX will not be accepted. Payment by electronic bank transfer can also be made prior to the appointment but remittance advice will need to be provided prior to the appointment.  A valid credit card will still need to be provided and stored on our practice management software in the event that the cancellation fee is charged. Further details about our cancellation policy are provided below. 
• A Credit Card Authorisation Agreement will need to be signed. 
• Further bookings for new appointments is contingent on all fee payments being up to date.  Reports for assessments will not be released until all payments are up to date.  
• A Tax Invoice will be issued for all services that attract a fee.
• An administrative fee may apply for invoices that remain unpaid for more than 30 days (2%).
• A debt collection service may be used as a last resort if clients do not pay their balance (Note: the collection agency will receive only basic information, such as the client’s name, contact information and total money owed). 

 

Cancellation and Missed Appointment Policy – Psychological services

• We understand that sometimes you may be unable to keep an appointment because of sudden illness or an unexpected personal emergency. If this happens to you, please contact us as soon as possible to explain the situation. You may call our office at anytime, even after hours, as we do have an answering service that allows you to leave a message.
• We require 48 hours notice to reschedule or cancel a session without incurring any extra fees.
• Cancelling an appointment with less than 24-hours notice will incur a cancellation fee of $100.00 which is payable at the commencement of the next scheduled appointment for the child.
• Any client accessing funding through third-parties will be billed personally for any cancellation fees as corporate entities will not fund such charges.
• If clients who fail to attend an assessment appointment or cancel on the day of the appointment wish to make a new appointment for assessment, they will be required to pay the cancellation fee and also to make full payment for the new assessment at least 7 days prior to the new appointment.

 

Tutoring services

Payment of Tutoring Fees

• Tutoring fees are due in advance at the start of the new school term.
• You will be asked to provide credit card details, which will be encrypted and stored securely on our practice management software. Payment for the appointment will be processed on the day of the appointment  Invoices will be sent out following the first tutoring session. Payment will be processed on the day following issuing of the invoice (this will include a small credit card processing fee). Please contact the Centre to arrange alternative payment via cash, EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, or cheque payable to the ‘Literacy and Learning Centre’, or by Bank Transfer (please provide remittance advice). A valid credit card will still need to be provided and stored on our practice management software in the event that the cancellation fee is charged.
• If your child begins classes in the middle of the term, the amount charged will be prorated.
• Payment plans can be arranged for families experiencing financial difficulties; however, these must first be discussed with and approved by the Centre Director.
• Any additional tutoring sessions (eg, in school holidays) must be paid for on or prior to the day of the appointment.
• In the event of outstanding tutoring fees, please be advised that we will not be able to guarantee your child’s preferred tutoring time slot as we have an extensive waiting list for tutoring times.
• An administrative fee may apply for invoices that remain unpaid for more than 30 days (2%).
• A debt collection service may be used as a last resort if clients do not pay their balance (Note: the collection agency will receive only basic information, such as the client’s name, contact information and total money owed). 

 

Cancellation and Refund Policy — Tutoring services

• Please provide at least 24-hours’ notice when you are unable to attend a scheduled session.
• Cancellation fees may apply if notice is not provided or is provided late.
• When notice is provided, we will endeavour to find an alternative time for your appointment.
• Classes that are missed without notice will not be re-scheduled nor will the cost of the session be refunded
• If you are running late, please contact us immediately. Time lost cannot be made up at the end of your scheduled session.
• The Literacy and Learning Centre does not issue refunds for missed sessions. If a make-up session cannot be scheduled, all unused funds will be credited for future tutoring sessions.