How Much Does an ADHD Diagnosis Cost in Australia?

Short answer: The cost of an adult ADHD diagnosis in Australia depends on who assesses you. GP-led telehealth assessments like ours are privately billed, with no Medicare rebate. Private psychiatrists set their own fees: with a GP referral, Medicare pays 85% of the schedule fee and you pay the gap above it.² Public assessment for adults is rare — almost all adult ADHD assessment in Australia is done privately.³

The three pathways and what they cost

1. GP-led assessment

In Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, GPs who meet their state’s requirements can assess, diagnose and start treatment for adult ADHD without a psychiatrist; in other states the rules are different or still changing — see who can diagnose ADHD in your state.

Our assessment is two video appointments — a 45-minute initial assessment and a 30-minute follow-up — with no referral needed and first appointments usually within about two weeks. Our How it works page takes you through each step, with our fees at the end. Blood tests and an ECG are done at a pathology centre near you and are usually bulk-billed.

Medicare does not rebate our consultations. GP telehealth items generally require an established clinical relationship — at least one face-to-face service with the practitioner or practice in the previous 12 months — which a telehealth-only practice can’t meet.⁴

2. Private psychiatrist

Psychiatrists set their own fees, so the most reliable way to know what you’ll pay is to ask the practice for a quote when you book. To claim any Medicare rebate you need a current referral from your GP.

These are the Medicare schedule fees that apply to psychiatrist appointments in 2026:

MBS item	What it covers	Schedule fee	Medicare pays (85%)
296	First appointment with a psychiatrist, more than 45 minutes	$316.30	$268.90
291	Assessment plus a written 12-month management plan (once per 12 months)	$549.90	$467.45
306	Follow-up appointment, 45–75 minutes	$223.15	$189.70

The Medicare benefit is fixed by the schedule: whatever a psychiatrist charges above the benefit is your out-of-pocket cost. For example, for a first appointment billed under item 296, Medicare pays $268.90 regardless of the fee.⁵ Item 291 can be used once in 12 months for an assessment with a written management plan,⁶ and longer follow-up appointments are usually billed under item 306.⁷

Our first appointments are typically available within two weeks. By comparison, the average wait for a first ADHD assessment appointment with a psychiatrist in Australia is around 16 weeks, and up to a year.¹

¹ Average wait for a first adult ADHD assessment appointment with a psychiatrist in Australia is 16 weeks, and can be up to 52 weeks. O’Toole et al., Journal of Attention Disorders, 2026. All sources

3. Public system

There is no national free pathway for adult ADHD assessment. The Senate inquiry into ADHD recommended the government review the Medicare Benefits Schedule to improve access to ADHD assessment and diagnosis.⁸ NSW Health has announced that from early 2027 it will fund up to 2,500 free ADHD assessments with trained GPs in selected practices.⁹ Elsewhere, a public assessment usually means a referral to a hospital clinic, if one accepts adult ADHD referrals in your area.

Medicare: what it does and doesn’t cover

Medicare pays 85% of the schedule fee for a specialist and 100% of the schedule fee for a GP. Practitioners can charge more than the schedule fee, and in that case you pay the difference — the gap.²

Two safety nets reduce the gap once your out-of-pocket costs for the calendar year pass a threshold. In 2026 the Original Medicare Safety Net threshold is $594.40, after which Medicare pays 100% of the schedule fee for out-of-hospital services. The Extended Medicare Safety Net threshold is $2,699.10, or $861.20 with a concession card or Family Tax Benefit Part A, after which Medicare pays 80% of further out-of-pocket costs, subject to caps.¹⁰ Families who register as a family have their costs counted together.

What medication costs after diagnosis

If medication is prescribed and the PBS criteria are met, you pay the PBS co-payment for each script: $25.00 for general patients and $7.70 with a concession card in 2026.¹¹ ADHD stimulant medicines are “Authority required” on the PBS, which means the prescriber needs approval from Services Australia; where the PBS restriction doesn’t fit your situation, the medicine has to be prescribed as a private prescription,¹² and you pay the pharmacy’s price. Your doctor will tell you which applies before you fill a script.

With us, medication reviews are 20-minute appointments — monthly while your dose is being adjusted, then every 3–6 months once you’re stable — and, like the assessment, they’re privately billed.

Other costs to budget for

• Blood test and ECG before medication — usually bulk-billed at pathology collection centres; some centres charge for the ECG, so check when you book.
• A GP referral if you choose the psychiatrist pathway — a standard GP appointment of 20 minutes or more has a schedule fee of $87.10, and Medicare pays 100% of it.¹³ Many GPs bulk-bill; others charge a gap.
• Follow-up appointments during dose adjustment, whichever pathway you choose.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an ADHD assessment cost in Australia?

It depends on who assesses you. Private psychiatrists set their own fees; with a GP referral, Medicare pays 85% of the schedule fee and you pay the gap above that. GP-led telehealth assessments like ours are privately billed, with no Medicare rebate.

Does Medicare cover an ADHD diagnosis?

Partly, depending on the pathway. Medicare pays 85% of the schedule fee for a psychiatrist (with a GP referral) and 100% of the schedule fee for a GP. Practitioners can charge more than the schedule fee, and you pay the difference. Telehealth-only GP services usually can’t be rebated because of Medicare’s established-clinical-relationship rule.

Is there a free ADHD assessment in Australia?

There is no national free pathway, and almost all adult ADHD assessment is done privately. NSW Health has announced it will fund up to 2,500 free ADHD assessments with trained GPs in selected practices from early 2027.

How much does ADHD medication cost after diagnosis?

Where the PBS criteria are met, a prescription costs the PBS co-payment — $25.00 general or $7.70 with a concession card in 2026. A prescription written outside the PBS criteria is private, and you pay the pharmacy’s full price.

Next steps

See how our assessment works, read how to get diagnosed with ADHD in Australia, or start with the free ADHD self-assessment.

This article is general information only and is not medical or financial advice. Fees, Medicare schedule fees and PBS co-payments change — the linked official sources have the current figures. ADHD GP is a private telehealth clinic staffed by AHPRA-registered Australian GPs.

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References

1. O’Toole C, Finlayson J, Johnstone S, Croaker K. Accessibility of ADHD Assessments in Australia: A Secret Shopper Study. Journal of Attention Disorders. 2026; 30(9):1104–1117. PubMed PMID 41742378
2. Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Medicare — what it costs. 2026. www.health.gov.au — Medicare pays 85% of the schedule fee for a specialist and 100% for general practitioners; practitioners can charge more than the schedule fee and the patient pays the difference.
3. Parliament of Australia — Senate Community Affairs References Committee. Assessment and support services for people with ADHD — Chapter 3: barriers to assessment and diagnosis. 2023. www.aph.gov.au — Almost all adult ADHD assessment and diagnosis in Australia is done through the private sector, and cost is a barrier to diagnosis. The committee heard that gender bias has led to under- and misdiagnosis of ADHD in girls and women, who are commonly misdiagnosed with other mental health conditions first and often learn to mask their symptoms.
4. MBS Online. Factsheet: MBS telehealth services — medical practitioners in general practice (March 2025). 2025. www.mbsonline.gov.au — GP telehealth items generally require an established clinical relationship — at least one face-to-face service with the practitioner or practice in the previous 12 months.
5. MBS Online. Item 296 — consultant psychiatrist attendance, more than 45 minutes, new patient. 2026. www9.health.gov.au — Schedule fee $316.30; Medicare benefit (85%) $268.90 (fees updated 1 July 2026).
6. MBS Online. Item 291 — psychiatrist assessment and 12-month management plan. 2026. www9.health.gov.au — Schedule fee $549.90; Medicare benefit (85%) $467.45; once per 12 months.
7. MBS Online. Item 306 — consultant psychiatrist attendance, 45 to 75 minutes. 2026. www9.health.gov.au — Schedule fee $223.15; Medicare benefit (85%) $189.70.
8. Parliament of Australia — Senate Community Affairs References Committee. Assessment and support services for people with ADHD — list of recommendations. 2023. www.aph.gov.au — Recommends reviewing the Medicare Benefits Schedule to improve access to ADHD assessment and improving NDIS information on ADHD eligibility.
9. NSW Health. ADHD in NSW — reforms to assessment and treatment. 2026. www.health.nsw.gov.au — From late October 2026 trained NSW GPs will be able to assess and diagnose ADHD in people aged 6 and over; from early 2027 NSW Health will fund up to 2,500 free GP ADHD assessments in selected practices.
10. Services Australia. Medicare Safety Net thresholds. 2026. www.servicesaustralia.gov.au — 2026 thresholds: Original Medicare Safety Net $594.40; Extended Medicare Safety Net $2,699.10 (general) and $861.20 (concession / FTB-A).
11. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Patient co-payments and safety net thresholds. 2026. www.pbs.gov.au — From 1 January 2026 the general PBS co-payment is $25.00 and the concessional co-payment $7.70.
12. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Explanatory notes — restricted and authority required benefits. 2026. www.pbs.gov.au — Authority required benefits need prior approval from Services Australia; use outside the PBS restriction must be prescribed as a non-PBS private prescription.
13. MBS Online. Item 36 — GP attendance, at least 20 minutes (Level C). 2026. www9.health.gov.au — Schedule fee $87.10; Medicare benefit 100% ($87.10) for GP attendances.

Sources were last checked on 5 October 2026. See all sources used on this site on our Sources page.