If there’s one thing I have loved about lockdown is that mental health has become something literally everyone has thought about. Aside from the political hacks using mental health as a way of scoring political points, so many more people started talking about and understanding their mental health.
For better or worse, I’ve been brutally aware of my own mental health for years now, and only recently becoming more comfortable talking about it (it’s still fcking scary). If you’re new here I was diagnosed with moderate depression and anxiety, albeit pretty high-functioning now, in 2014 and ultimately ADHD (Inattentive Type) in 2017.
I want to cover a topic I don’t think I’ve heard people talk about but is definitely something worth understanding, whether you live with these conditions or not. What I want to talk about is how expensive it is to be treated for mental health conditions.
Now a couple of things I want to cover first:
So, with that addressed, let's breakdown what these costs are:
For most people, their journey will start by seeing a GP and having a preliminary chat discussing your symptoms and experiences. This is by no means an exhaustive overview of the process so please contact a real professional! As part of this assessment you might be asked to do some kind of test, when I went to Headspace I did a really simple K10 Test which tests for Anxiety and Depression, your outcome of that test forms the basis for a Mental Health Care Plan. An MHCP is a document required, for me, both for my State Permit to be allowed to take my medication, as well as 6 Medicare-rebated Psychologist sessions. However, anyone can access 4 more sessions per calendar year with a Mental Health Care Plan Review.
An appointment for a MHCP (Medicare Item 2715) with my Doctor is $180.00 with a Medicare Benefit of $91.05, leaving me $88.95. MHCPs are generally renewed every 12 months, with a Review if needed. I usually try to access the full 10 sessions so in a 12-month period I’d expect two of these appointments.
Total = $177.90 Out-of-Pocket for 12-months.
Between MHCP appointments I have to have my script refilled every 3-months. I’m not convinced it has to be that frequent but alas, another two appointments at a cost of $91.00 each, a benefit of $38.20 leaving an out-of-pocket cost of $52.80.
Total = $76.40 Out-of-Pocket for 12-months.
Dexamphetamine, along with most ADHD medications (I believe), are controlled substances in most jurisdictions, especially Australia. You may have heard stories of Uni students, mostly in America, taking Adderall (brand name for a similar drug) to study for exams. As a result of this sort of demand, it is an amphetamine after all, it has a bit of a street value (I don’t know this first hand, but that’s what my doctor tells me).
Because it’s controlled I have to see a psychiatrist to authorise the issuance of a permit allowing my GP to prescribe the Dex to me. I don’t know if you know this, but Psychiatrists are expensive… My first Doctor was around $300 Out-of-pocket for a session barely over an hour. Fortunately I only have to renew this permit every two years, but still…
My second appointment was with a much better Doctor at the Albert Road clinic, and his fee was only $450.00 for the session, barely more than the Medicare rebate of $396.80.
In total, an out-of-pocket cost of $53.20 every two years.
I personally think everyone that has struggled with honestly anything in life would benefit from seeing a psychologist. I honestly consider it to be one of the most valuable undertakings. There is so much to gain in developing better frameworks to approach life and its innumerable struggles.
I strictly speaking don’t need to see a Psychologist but with the rebated sessions I have access to, and the value I get out of it, it’s a no-brainer. I see mine roughly every 4-6 weeks on average, aiming to make the most of my 10-session rebate.
When I was using Headspace I was actually seeing the same Doctor I am now, I was very lucky that he moved on to private practice. Continuity and trust is huge in this kind of treatment. But, in private practice, Doctors quite rightly charge a bit more of a gap.
The Medicare benefit for a 50-minute session is $128.40, however, my Doctor charges $195.00 which leaves an out-of-pocket expense of $66.60.
Total = $666.00 for Out-of-Pocket for 12-months
I take two different medications, Dexamphetamine and an atypical anti-depressant called Valdoxan (Atypical means it doesn’t work like an SSRI/SNRI, so it doesn’t carry the same side effects). Dex is on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme so I only pay about $37 for 200 tablets which lasts me about a month. Valdoxan is unfortunately not on the PBS however, so I pay the full cost which is $69.95 for 28 tablets, a 4-week supply. So, in total an average month of medication costs me about $106.95.
Just an aside about the PBS and how lucky we are in Australia, 200 5mg Dextroamphetamine tablets in the USA would cost $221.84USD… (https://www.drugs.com/price-guide/dextroamphetamine) the state of the American healthcare system is disgusting honestly.
Total = $1283.40 Out-of-Pocket for 12-months.
Total = $2230.30 / 12-months
So, there you go. If you ever wondered what one very specific person’s experience was, now you know. It may seem like a lot, and it really is quite a large cost, I’m so lucky that we have an incredible healthcare system. If I was in another country I would probably need to forgo treatment all together, in reality I’m lucky to have parents who could support me but it would be burden for sure, especially if we didn’t have health insurance.
Finally, a couple of thousand dollars is nothing compared to the benefits of managing my mental health, if I had to pay double I’d still find a way it’s that important. If you’ve ever considered seeking help please don’t be discouraged by any of these numbers. There’s help available to most people, it’s too important not to find away.
All the best,
Dan x
PS. I’d really like to keep writing about mental health and my experiences with it. If you enjoyed this and want more like it please let me know! I’d really appreciate it.