The 1 May 2016 MBS files can now be downloaded from the 1 May 2016 downloads page.

The following changes will take effect from 1 May 2016:

New items
30640 32088 32089 37040 37338 47301 47304 47307 47310 47313 47316 47319 47361 47362 47364 47367 47370 47373

Ceased items
47300 47303 47306 47309 47312 47315 47318 47321 47324 47327 47330 47333 47336 47339 47342 47345 47360 47363 47366 47369 47372
47375

Amended descriptions
30620 30621 34539 35306 35309 35646

Hernia repair
From 1 May 2016, item 30640 will be introduced for the repair of large and irreducible scrotal hernia. Additionally, items 30620 and 30621 will be amended to reflect current clinical practice by adding the following words to the descriptors "requiring mesh or other formal repair", and restricting the items to not be in association with items 30403 and 30405.

Treatment of stress urinary incontinence
From 1 May 2016, items 37040 and 37338 will be introduced for the insertion (and removal) of a synthetic male sling system for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

MBS items for the treatment of finger and wrist fractures
Amendments to MBS services for the treatment of finger and wrist fractures are a result of a review to amend existing fracture management items so the items better reflect fracture pathologies and current treatments. The item amendments commence from 1 May 2016. In practice, the 16 existing items for finger fractures and the six existing items for wrist fractures have been repealed, being replaced by seven new items for finger fractures and six new items for wrist fractures. Amendments were drafted in consultation with relevant professional medical groups, and were endorsed by the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) on 1 April 2015.

Removal of out-of-hospital benefits
From 1 May 2016, out-of-hospital (85%) benefits will be removed from MBS items 31551, 32145, 32212, 35103, 35630, 39135, 45020, 45823, 45851, 46486, 46489, 46516, 47381, 47385, 47426, 47456, 47696, 47906, 48603, 50115, 50330, 50348, 50390, 50516, 50524, 50552, 50568, 50600, 52097, 52106, 52135 and 53206 as these items explicitly state they are to be performed in-hospital (at a benefit of 75%). The changes are to ensure uniformity between the MBS item descriptors and the benefits payable, and to ensure these services are provided in an appropriate clinical setting.

Amend descriptors to allow 85% benefit to be claimed
From 1 May 2016, the descriptors for MBS items 35646 and 34539 will be amended to allow the out-of-hospital (85%) benefit to be claimed. These items have been identified as being of sufficient complexity to warrant claiming of a MBS item beyond a specialist consultation item and are clinically appropriate to be provided in out-of-hospital settings.