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Medicare mental health services

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Key points

In 2024–25:

13.0 million Medicare mental health services were provided,

with half of these delivered by psychologists and 96% delivered out-of-hospital.

10% of the Australian population received Medicare mental health services

with General Practitioners seeing 77% of these people.

The highest population rates were for people aged between 18 and 34 years,

with the rates for females almost double that for males.

Introduction

Medicare mental health services are delivered by Psychiatrists, General practitioners (GPs), Psychologists and Other allied health professionals. They are delivered across a range of settings – including hospitals, consulting rooms, home visits, and telehealth – as defined in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). Information is provided on both patient and service provider characteristics and is limited to Medicare-subsidised services only. These data relate only to services claimed under specified mental health care MBS item numbers. Therefore, the reported number of patients is unlikely to represent all patients who receive mental health care as it is unclear how many people receive GP mental health-related care that is billed as a consultation against, for example, a general MBS item number for a short consultation. For further information on the MBS data, refer to the data source section.

During 2024–25:

  • the majority (96%) of Medicare mental health services were delivered in an out-of-hospital setting. The 4% of services delivered in-hospital may be either private patients in private hospitals or private patients in public hospitals
  • the total rate of services was 473 services per 1,000 population. The highest rate was provided by psychologists (Clinical psychologists and Other psychologists combined; 226) followed by General Practitioners (122)
  • the overall average number of services received per patient for this period was 5 and this was the average for all providers except GPs (2)
  • 77% of people received services from a General practitioner; 20% from Clinical psychologists; 27% from Other psychologists; 23% from Psychiatrists; and 4% from Other allied health professionals. Note that an individual may receive services from more than one provider type during the reporting period.

Medicare mental health dashboard

Data Visualisation

Medicare mental health services summary

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Spotlight data

Spotlight figure: National rates per 1,000 population by provider type and age group, 2015–16 to 2024–25

Spotlight figure containing a line graph showing the rate (per 1,000) population) of patients or services provider type and age group from 2015–16 to 2024–25.

Spotlight figure containing a line graph showing the rate (per 1,000) population) of patients or services provider type and age group from 2015–16 to 2024–25.

Source: Medicare mental health services 2024–25 data tables.

Who received Medicare mental health services?

In 2024–25, about 2.8 million Australians (10% of the population) received Medicare mental health services, of which less than 1% of people received services while in hospital.

People aged 18–24 and 25–34 years had the highest patient rates per 1,000 population since 2019–20. The high rates in these age groups are largely driven by females, who had rates almost twice that of males during this period (Figure MBS1.1).

Victoria has had the highest patient rates per 1,000 population since 2015–16. While the Northern Territory has consistently had the lowest rates during this period (Figure MBS.Spotlight), this needs to be viewed considering the fact that many services provided through Indigenous health services are not included in the MBS.

The highest patient rates per 1,000 population since 2015–16 were seen for Major cities and Inner regional areas. The patient rates seen for Outer regional areas and Remote and very remote areas were consistently around 20% and 60% lower, respectively, than the other areas during this period.

The highest patient rates per 1,000 population were seen for the Least disadvantaged SEIFA quintile since 2015–16. During this period, the rate for the Most disadvantaged SEIFA quintile fell from around 20% lower than the Least disadvantaged quintile to around 40% lower (Figure MBS.1).

Figure MBS.1: Medicare mental health services and people receiving services by provider type and key demographics, 2024–25

Horizontal bar chart showing the rate of patients (per 1,000 population) who received Medicare mental health services, and rate of services during 2024–25, by provider type and key demographic categories. 

Multiple line chart showing patients (per 1,000 population) who received Medicare mental health services, and services (per 1,000 population) in the decade to 2024–25, by age by sex and provider type. 

Multiple line chart showing patients (per 1,000 population) who received Medicare mental health services, and services (per 1,000 population) in the decade to 2024–25 by provider type, age, sex, remoteness and SEIFA quintile.

Horizontal bar chart showing the rate of patients (per 1,000 population) who received Medicare mental health services, and rate of services during 2024–25, by provider type and key demographic categories. Multiple line chart showing patients (per 1,000 population) who received Medicare mental health services, and services (per 1,000 population) in the decade to 2024–25, by age by sex and provider type. Multiple line chart showing patients (per 1,000 population) who received Medicare mental health services, and services (per 1,000 population) in the decade to 2024–25 by provider type, age, sex, remoteness and SEIFA quintile.

Source: Medicare mental health services 2024–25 data tables

Medicare mental health services

There were about 13.0 million Medicare mental health services provided in 2024–25 at an average of 5 services per patient and a rate of 473 per 1,000 population.

The majority (96%) of these services were delivered out-of-hospital and the highest service rates per 1,000 population were seen for Other psychologists and General practitioners since 2015–16. Of the 4% of services delivered in-hospital the majority (94%) were provided by Psychiatrists (Table MBS.1).

People aged 18–24, 25–34 and 35–44 years had the highest service rates per 1,000 population since 2015–16. The high rates in these age groups are largely driven by females, who had rates around twice that of males during this period.

Victoria had the highest total service rate per 1,000 population since 2015–16 (Figure MBS.Spotlight) but there was interjurisdictional variability across provider types. Queensland had the highest service rate for Psychiatrists over this period and Victoria the highest for General practitioners. The highest service rates for Clinical psychologists over this period were seen in Tasmania and Victoria for Other psychologists and Other allied health providers.

The highest service rates per 1,000 population since 2015–16 were seen for Major cities. Rates in Inner regional and outer regional areas were consistently around 10% and 40% lower, respectively, than in Major cities. Over the same period, the rate in Remote and very remote areas was around 80% lower than in Major cities, changing to around 70% lower.

The highest service rates per 1,000 population were seen for the Least disadvantaged SEIFA quintile since 2015–16. During this period, the rate for the Most disadvantaged SEIFA quintile fell from around 40% lower than the Least disadvantaged quintile to around 60% lower (Figure MBS.1).

Where can I find more information?

Data presented covers the time period 2015–16 to 2024–25. This page was last updated in May 2026.

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