Three ex-service organisations from regional Victoria have united in a push to bring mental health support for veterans in line with other support services.
Key points:
Returned services and assistance organisations say veterans are facing barriers to accessing mental health support
The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) offers fully-funded treatment for all mental health conditions for current and ex-Australian Defence Force members
1,600 defence force members and veterans with service after 1985 died by suicide between 1997 and 2020
Australian Defence Force veterans Andrew Hamilton, Frank Nuccio, and Kevin Scott have committed to assisting other veterans and families through organisations in the Ballarat region.
Mr Hamilton is the secretary of Ballarat Veterans Assistance Centre, Mr Nuccio is the senior vice president of Ballarat RSL, and Mr Scott is the secretary of Sebastopol RSL.
All three men have expressed concern over the Department of Veterans' Affairs' Non-Liability Health Care provision for veterans.
The scheme is open to current and former defence force members to provide fully-funded treatment of all mental health conditions.
If a veteran's application is approved, eligible treatment can begin.
Mr Nuccio said "on the surface" the scheme seemed "really great", but a key shortfall was impacting veterans accessing the service.
He said psychiatrists could not charge a gap for veterans' affairs patients, leaving them out of pocket.
"The fee that they'll get from that visit is substantially less than if they saw a private patient … it makes it even harder for the veteran to get mental health help," Mr Nuccio said.
"The general consensus is that you're less likely to get in [to see a psychiatrist] if you're a DVA patient."
In a statement, a Department of Veterans' Affairs spokesperson said the department paid a rate higher than the equivalent Medicare Benefits Schedule fee.
"In return for this higher rate, providers are not permitted to charge DVA cardholders a gap fee," the spokesperson said.
Mr Nuccio said the department could lift its rebate to the same level as the Transport Accident Commission and WorkCover.
Mr Hamilton said a report from a psychiatrist was needed to claim the cost from the department.
He said that would require several sessions.
"The administration burden on psychiatrists to provide the paperwork for someone to be recognised for their mental health, is huge," he said.
ABC has contacted the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists for comment.
The department spokesperson said there were 1,470 psychiatrists who provided about 110,000 services to more than 20,000 Veteran Card holders last financial year.
"However, DVA acknowledges there are broader workforce shortages across the mental health sector and that this can present particular challenges for veterans living in rural and remote areas," the spokesperson said.