Dyslexia Assessment Cost And Medicare Rebates

Which Fee Applies: $890 Or $1,290

The Mid-Length Assessment ($890) is for a child whose main difficulty is reading, spelling or writing. The Long Assessment ($1,290) looks at language and literacy together, for a child who also finds spoken language hard. Dr Lauren recommends the level once she understands the concerns, so the fee is known before the assessment goes ahead. For what each level looks at, see what a dyslexia assessment looks at, and for the running order see what happens on the day.

Is A Dyslexia Assessment Covered By Medicare?

Partly, and only with a referral. Medicare pays a fixed rebate of $63.40 for a speech pathology service, item 10970 as listed on MBS Online when read on 15 November 2026. Three conditions apply:

• The child’s GP has put them on a chronic condition management plan that recommends speech pathology. The GP decides whether a child is eligible.
• The plan is in place before the appointment, not after it.
• Medicare pays for up to five allied health services in a calendar year, counted across every allied health provider the child sees.

On a $193 session the rebate leaves $129.60 to pay. Against an assessment fee of $890 or $1,290, one rebate is a small part of the cost. If you plan to use a Medicare referral, say so in your application.

Private Health And The NDIS

Private health may pay part of the fee if your extras cover includes speech pathology. The amount depends on your fund and level of cover, so check with your fund first. A private health benefit and a Medicare rebate cannot both be claimed for the same service.

Dr Lauren is not NDIS registered. Self-managed and plan-managed participants are welcome, and NDIA-managed funding cannot be used. Whether a plan can pay for this assessment depends on the plan and its goals.

Why Dyslexia Assessment Prices Differ So Widely

“Dyslexia assessment” is used for three different things, at three different prices.

What it is	What it tells you	Published price
A screener	Whether your child’s reading is worth a closer look. Not a diagnosis	Free: the free dyslexia screener on this site
A speech pathologist’s assessment of reading, spelling and language	Which skills are holding reading back, how far, and what to work on	$890 or $1,290 with Dr Lauren Crumlish
A psychologist’s assessment	The same question with cognitive testing, and usually the formal diagnosis	Read on 15 November 2026: $1,845 at one SPELD organisation and $2,700 at Learning Links

A family who needs a formal diagnosis will also need a psychologist’s assessment, at that provider’s fee. Ask the psychologist whether any rebate applies to their assessment. The guide to who can diagnose dyslexia in Australia sets out which professional to start with, and reading the report explains what each kind of report covers.