The 1 July 2014 MBS files can now be downloaded from the July 2014 downloads page.

Summary of changes included in the 1 July 2014 edition of the MBS

General Fee Increase

The following changes to Medicare schedule fees will apply from 1 July 2014: A 2% increase in Schedule fees will apply to all items in Group A1, Group A5, Group A6, Group A17, Group A18, Group A20, Group A22, Group A27, Group A30 and Group M1. A 2% increase in Schedule fees will also apply to the following items; items 193, 195, 197, and 199 in Group A7, items 597 and 599 in Group A11, items 701 to 715 in Group A14, items 721 to 758 in Group A15, and item 139 of Group A29.

There has been no increase in the Schedule Fee for all the other items listed in the MBS.

Review of General Medical Services

Transcatheter closure - The listing of two new MBS items for transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus (38273) and ventricular septal defect (38274) as alternative procedures to open heart surgery, and an amendment to MBS item 38751 to remove the words 'for congenital heart disease' to allow for surgical closure of both congenital and acquired ventricular septal defects.

Cardiac resychronisation - Amendments to MBS items 38368, 38371 and 38654 for patients with moderate to severe chronic heart failure receiving a cardiac resynchronisation therapy device capable of defibrillation, to include patients with mild chronic heart failure who meet certain criteria.

Ophthalmology – Amendments to four MBS ophthalmology items (42653, 42808, 42794, and 42744) and the removal of four ophthalmology items (42621, 42659, 42737, and 42797), which were recommended as a result of the MSAC Ophthalmology Review Stage II,

Health Assessment Group - From 1 July 2014 former serving members of the Australian Defence Force, including former members of permanent and reserve forces, will be an eligible group to receive health care assessments under Medicare items 701, 703, 705 and 707.

Mastectomy – The merging of four MBS mastectomy items (31518, 31521, 31524 and 31527) into three items (31519, 31524, and 31525) by removing the gender specific terminology in the item descriptors (‘male’ or ‘female’) and replacing them with gender neutral terminology.

Review of the Diagnostic Imaging Services

Pelvis ultrasound – Four new pelvis ultrasound items (55065, 55067, 55068, 55069) to substitute gender specific words for gender neutral terminology, where it would not change the clinical or eligibility intent of the item. The deletion of eight defunct pelvis ultrasound items (55044, 55731, 55020, 55732, 55045, 55733, 55022, and 55734) as a result of these changes.

Summary of changes

New Items

31519, 31525, 38273, 38274, 55065, 55067, 55068, 55069

Deleted Items

31518, 31521, 31527, 42621, 42659, 42737, 42797, 55020, 55022, 55045, 55044, 55731, 55732, 55733, 55734

Amended Items

701, 703, 705, 707, 31524, 38365, 38368, 38371, 38654, 38751, 42653, 42744, 42794, 42808, 45585, 55014, 55017, 55036, 55038, 55063, 55064, 55084, 55085