In July 2026, DVA announced the commencement of new Veteran Mental Health Incentives for General Practitioners (GPs) and psychiatrists providing mental health care to veterans.
The Veteran Mental Health Incentives support GPs and psychiatrists to spend more time with their veteran patients, helping to deliver proactive, ongoing and coordinated mental health care.
GPs and psychiatrists who treat an eligible Veteran Card holder can now submit a DVA webclaim via Health Professional Online Services (HPOS).
For General Practitioners, the additional $99.30 incentive item (Item No. VC65) can be co-claimed with an attendance item for the development or review of a Better Access GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, or a time tiered consultation (of 20 minutes and above) where the attendance is for the provision of ongoing mental health care where a mental health treatment plan is in place, or the veteran is receiving mental health care and resides in residential aged care. The incentive can be accessed up to 4 times per year.
For psychiatrists, the additional $162.70 incentive item (Item No. VC66) can be co-claimed alongside consultation items that support continuity of care, where an initial assessment is being undertaken or has previously occurred, for the psychiatrist who is intending to provide ongoing care. The incentive can be accessed up to 2 times per year.
No additional training is needed by GPs and psychiatrists to claim these incentives, however DVA encourages providers to undertake training from the Veterans’ Health eLearning Platform (VETs HeLP) within MedCast.
For further information, including the complete incentive item descriptors, co-claiming rules, please visit the Incentive payments for health providers webpage.
More information
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For education, resources and information visit the DVA providers webpage.
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For any queries about fees, prior approvals and fee schedules please contact our Health Provider Line on 1800 550 457.
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Open Arms assists health providers to understand the military experience and maintain clinical best practice. Visit the Open Arms website to access resources and information for providers.