Summary of Item Changes
New Items
179, 181, 183, 185, 187, 188, 189, 191, 202, 203, 206, 212, 214, 215, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233,
235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 243, 244, 245, 249, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272,
276, 277, 279, 281, 282, 283, 285, 286, 287, 733, 737, 741, 745, 761, 763, 766, 769, 772, 776, 788, 789, 792, 812, 827, 829, 867, 868, 869, 873, 876,
881, 885, 891, 892, 35581, 35582, 35585, 63541, 63542, 63543, 63544, 73345, 73346, 73347, 73348, 73349, 73350
Ceased Item
31591
160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 170, 171, 172, 701, 703, 705, 707, 715, 721, 723, 729, 731, 732, 735, 739, 743, 747, 750, 758, 871, 872, 900, 903, 2125,
2138, 2179, 2220, 2700, 2701, 2712, 2713, 2715, 2717, 2721, 2723, 2725, 2727, 4001, 35570, 35571, 35573, 35577, 55600, 55601, 55603, 55604,
73337
Fees Indexed
3, 4, 20, 23, 24, 35, 36, 37, 43, 44, 47, 51, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 116, 117, 119, 120, 122, 128, 131, 132, 133, 141,
143, 145, 147, 135, 137, 139, 289, 291, 293, 296, 297, 299, 300, 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 318, 319, 320, 322, 324, 326, 328, 330,
332, 334, 336, 338, 342, 344, 346, 348, 350, 352, 353, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 361, 364, 366, 367, 369, 370, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 410, 411,
412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 501, 503, 507, 511, 515, 519, 520, 530, 532, 534, 536, 820, 822, 823, 825, 826, 828, 830, 832, 834, 835, 837, 838,
855, 857, 858, 861, 864, 866, 871, 872, 880, 2799, 2801, 2806, 2814, 2824, 2832, 2840, 2946, 2949, 2954, 2958, 2972, 2974, 2978, 2984, 2988,
2992, 2996, 3000, 3003, 3005, 3010, 3014, 3018, 3023, 3028, 3032, 3040, 3044, 3051, 3055, 3062, 3069, 3074, 3078, 3083, 3088, 3093, 6004,
6007, 6009, 6011, 6013, 6015, 6018, 6019, 6023, 6024, 6025, 6028, 6029, 6031, 6032, 6034, 6035, 6037, 6038, 6042, 6051, 6052, 6057, 6058,
6059, 6062, 6063, 6064, 6065, 6067, 6068, 6071, 6072, 6074, 6075, 10801, 10802, 10803, 10804, 10805, 10806, 10807, 10808, 10809, 10816,
10990, 10991, 10992, 17610, 17615, 17620, 17625, 17640, 17645, 17650, 17655, 17680, 17690
New Notes
AN.7.1, AN.7.2, AN.7.3, AN.7.4, AN.7.5, AN.7.6, AN.7.7, AN7.8, AN.7.9, AN.7.10, AN.7.11, AN.7.12, AN.7.13, AN.7.14, AN.7.15, AN.7.16, AN.7.17,
AN.7.18, AN.7.19, AN.7.20, AN.7.21, AN.7.22, AN.7.23, AN.7.24, AN.7.25, AN.7.26, AN.7.27, TN.8.140, PN.7.3
Amended Notes
GN.7.17, GN.12.32, AN.0.27, AN.0.28, AN.0.36, AN.0.37, AN.0.38, AN.0.41, AN.0.42, AN.0.43, AN.0.44, AN.0.45, AN.0.46, AN.0.47, AN.0.49,
AN.0.52, AN.0.56, AN.0.65, AN.0.66, AN.0.67, AN.0.69, DN.1.18, IN.0.1, IN.0.2, IN.0.13, IN.0.15, IN.0.18, TN.8.30, TN.8.75, MN.3.1, MN.3.2, MN.3.3,
MN.6.2, MN.6.3, MN.7.1, MN.8.3, MN.8.4, MN.9.1, MN.12.4, MN.12.5
Indexation for standard GP con sultations and specialist attendances
In the 2017-18 Budget, the Government announced it would commence indexation in a phased approach under the Guaranteeing Medicare — Medicare Benefits Schedule — indexation measure. From 1 July 2018, a 1.5% increase will apply to standard GP consultations (GP attendances in MBS group A1), specialist attendances, and the GP bulk billing incentive items.
Changes to Existing GP Items under Stronger Rural Health - Training - improved access to Australian trained general practitioners and quality care
GP Acupuncture Items Moved to Group A7, Subgroup 1
The existing MBS GP acupuncture items have been moved to Subgroup 1 in Group A7: Acupuncture and Non-Specialist Practitioner Items.
The affected items are: 173, 193, 195, 197, 199
Note: the MBS requirements for these items have not changed in any way.
New Medical Practitioner Items under Stronger Rural Health - Training - improved access to Australian trained general practitioners and quality care
As part of the package of measures announced in the 2018-19 Budget under the Stronger Rural Health Strategy, a new fee structure has been introduced for standard and non-standard attendances performed by medical practitioners who are not vocationally-recognised and not on an approved general practice training placement.
This initiative includes the following elements:
• Medical practitioners who provide services in a metropolitan area (Modified Monash 1 –MM1) will be paid at a rate that is 80% of the benefit for most equivalent general practitioner (GP) items, with the exception being the items for general consultations and attendances associated with PIP incentive payments. Medical practitioners in MM1 will be paid under the Group A2 and A19 items for these services.
• Medical practitioners providing services in a regional or remote area (MM 2-7) will be paid at a rate that is 80% of the benefit for the equivalent GP item, for all types of services.
Medical practitioners currently participating in an OMP program will remain eligible for higher specialist GP rates for a period of 5 years(until 30 June 2023), providing they continue to meet Program requirements. Access to these Programs will be closed to new applicants from 31 October 2018 through changes to the relevant administrative guidelines. OMP Programs include:
• the Rural Other Medical Practitioners Program,
• the Outer-Metropolitan Other Medical Practitioners Program,
• the MedicarePlus for Other Medical Practitioners Program and
• the After-Hours Other Medical Practitioners Program.
• The urgent after-hours items in Group A11 are not affected by this measure.
The new 80% medical practitioner items are included in Group A7:
Subgroup 2: 179, 181, 183, 185, 187, 188, 189, 191, 202, 203, 206, 212
Subgroup 3: 214, 215, 218, 219, 220
Subgroup 4: 221, 222, 223
Subgroup 5: 224, 225, 226, 227, 228
Subgroup 6: 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 243, 244
Subgroup 7: 245, 249
Subgroup 8: 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 268, 269, 270, 271
Subgroup 9: 272, 276, 277, 279, 281, 282, 283, 285, 286, 287
Subgroup 10: 733, 737, 741, 745, 761, 763, 766, 769, 772, 776, 788, 789
Subgroup 11: 792
Subgroup 12: 812, 827, 829, 867, 868, 869, 873, 876, 881, 885, 891, 892.
In addition, a range of existing GP items have been amended to restrict their use by new entrant medical practitioners from 1 July 2018.
The amended GP items are: 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 170, 171, 172, 701, 703, 705, 707, 715, 721, 723, 729, 731, 732, 735, 739, 743, 747, 750, 758, 871, 872, 900, 903, 2125, 2138, 2179, 2220, 2700, 2701, 2712, 2713, 2715, 2717, 2721, 2723, 2725, 2727, 4001.
Non-vocationally recognised medical practitioners will instead be required to use the 80% equivalent items in Group A7.
The MBS requirements for these items have not been changed and GPs using the items are still required to meet all regulatory requirements.
Additional advice on site measurement for bone densitometry
Additional advice is provided on the use of bone densitometry for patients unable to have the usual two site measurements taken of the lumbar spine and proximal femur.
Amendments to ultrasound transducer requirements
These changes reflect changes to the legislation which have the effect of no longer requiring providers of Medicare-funded ultrasound services to use an ultrasound transducer of a particular frequency for musculoskeletal and urological ultrasound.
Creation of subgroups for CT and Nuclear Medicine
To align CT and nuclear medicine with all other modality groups they are being divided into subgroups. Subgroups allow for more targeted data analysis used for policy development in diagnostic imaging, it also allows users to more easily find the correct items. The creation of subgroups in the MBS Book for CT and nuclear medicine imaging services aims to enable easier reporting and make it easier for providers to navigate the MBS Book. There have been no changes to item descriptors, the change only involves the creation of subgroups.
Updates to equipment requirements for positron emission tomography
The Health Insurance (Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) has been updated to remove the requirement to comply with the 'National Electrical Manufacturers’ Association (NEMA) NU 2-2007: Performance Measurements of Positron Emission Tomographs' as this requirement is unnecessary as it is covered by the requirement to meet the 'PET Accreditation (Instrumentation and Radiation Safety)' issued by the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine. The reference to the 'PET Accreditation (Instrumentation and Radiation Safety)' has been updated to reference 'Requirements for PET Accreditation (Instrumentation & Radiation Safety) 3rd Edition (2017)' as the most recent edition.
Additional guidance on the information to be included in a request for diagnostic imaging
Additional guidance is included in the notes on the information which should be included in a request for diagnostic imaging to help diagnostic imaging service providers determine the most appropriate test for the patient and facilitate clear communication between the diagnostic imaging provider and referring practitioner.
Changes to requirements for sonographer registration
The Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry responsible for registering accredited sonographers, has advised the Department of Health that one of the previous pathways for registration as a sonographer is no longer available as a pathway option. To be eligible for accreditation as a sonographer the person must either hold an accredited postgraduate qualification in medical ultrasound, or be studying ultrasound.
Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) of the prostate
Four new items (K and NK) have been introduced for use of multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) for:
(a) men suspected of having prostate cancer; and
(b) men with low or intermediate risk prostate cancer placed on active surveillance.