Given the deep damage mental illness can inflict on a patient’s life — on their well-being, their sense of identity, on their intimate relationships, on their work — even based on the brutal calculus of cost–benefit economics, you would assume funding for healing the mind would be a national priority.

Not quite life or death, at least not always, but something close.

So why does the MBS pay lower rebates to patients for GP care when that care relates to mental health?

For example, why does item 2713 — for a 20-minute-plus consultation for a mental health disorder — generate a rebate of $75.80 when item 36 pays $76.95?