Australian Regional Health Group (ARHG) FAQs

Applications should be made directly to PACFA. If you wish to become an ARHG provider, please complete this form.

Yes. You will be issued with a provider number by PACFA, for use when claiming rebates for services provided to your clients.

Yes. Your invoices and receipts should contain the following information:

• Name of counsellor conducting the consultation
• Provider number
• Practice address
• Date of invoice
• Date the service was provided
• Item code for service provided (see below for Police Health and Emergency Services Health item codes)
• Name of person(s) attending as client
• Fee being charged and payable for the service

From 1 April 2020 members of both Police Health and Emergency Services Health funds who hold Extras cover are able to choose Counselling or Psychology rebates, up to a combined annual maximum of $850 per person. Both funds will also allow their members to access any unused annual maximum from the previous year.

Note: Please contact the funds directly for specific information on invoicing and item numbers.

Police and Emergency Services Health funds offer rebates to their members for Individual, Couple/Family and Group consultations.

From 1 February 2023, Police Health and Emergency Services Health are giving counselling providers access to claim through HICAPS.

Police Health Limited has simplified their item range for counselling services to map their fund item numbers to the available HICAPS item numbers. They have also merged the standard consult and the long consult items into the one individual consult item number and set the benefit at the current long consult benefit rate.

The table below shows the new item range for counselling consults. For further queries, visit the Police Health and Emergency Services Health website.

Effective from 01.02.2023

Yes, item numbers are identical.

While Police and Emergency Services Health provide generous rebates for a range of services, the following will not be accepted for rebates:

• Invoicing for services not yet provided
• Services that are outside the PACFA Scope of Practice for Registered Counsellors 2018.
• Services provided for the following reasons:
  - Managing the relationships between clients and pets
  - Sports performance
  - Meditation
  - Vocational guidance
  - Financial or property mediation
  - Religious guidance

If you have any further questions, please contact the PACFA Membership Team ([email protected]).