Medicare item numbers (DO NOT USE. WAY OUT OF DATE!)

Hours Mon-Fri 8-18 Sat 8-12. Home includes non-RACF institutions such as hospitals. RACF = Residential Aged Care Facility. Flagfall for first patient only for an RACF attendance. DO NOT rebill flagfall the same day if recalled for a continuation of an earlier episode.

Hello

ECG 12-lead trace plus report. Spirometry requires ≥3 acceptable best-effort tests for each pre- and post-bronchodilator testing period. Diagnostic spirometry may be billed only once per 12 months. Sigmoidoscopy with or without biopsy.

After hours Mon—Fri 7—8, 18—7, Sat 7—8, 12—24, Sun/holidays all day.

URGENT consultations only!
After hours Mon-Fri 7—8, 18—23; Sat 7—8, 12—23; Sun/holidays 7—23.
Unsociable hours Mon—Sun 23—7.

Management plans (GPMP), team care arrangements (TCA)

For item , refer to list of eligible disabilities.

Contribution/review of GPMP/TCA by another practitioner

Medication reviews

Medication reviews for suitable patients only, payable once per 12 month period, except where there has been a significant change (see MBS note for details).

Mental health care plans (MHCP), reviews

Every 3 years for 40-49-year-olds at high risk of diabetes. Annually for age ≥75 years, permanent RACF residents, or intellectual disability. Once only for 45-49-year-olds at risk of developing chronic disease, refugees with Medicare access, or former serving ADF members.

Indigenous every 9 months. Heart health annually for eligible patients if no health assessment (701, 703, 705, 707, 715) claimed in previous 12 months.

Reproductive health

Diagnostic biopsies

Biopsy includes punch or shave, specimen must be sent for histopathology.

Ablations

Premalignant lesions include seborrhoeic keratoses, exclude warts, mollusca contagiosa except when treated in theatre (see MBS notes for more).

Foreign bodies

Subcutaneous foreign body removal includes wound closure if performed; i.e. do not claim wound closure as an additional procedure. Foreign body in nose removal does not include simple probing.

Wound repairs

Includes repair of skin or mucous membrane with simple debridement. Superficial: skin, subcutaneous fat. Deep: deeper tissues, e.g. fascia, muscle. Traumatic, deep or extensively contaminated wounds debrided and repaired under non-local anaesthesia, see items , .

Toenail procedures

Wedge resection includes surgical removal of segment of nail, ungual fold and portion of the nail bed. Ablation of nail matrix by phenolisation, electrocautery, laser, sodium hydroxide or acid but not excision.

Incision, drainage, aspiration

Incision and drainage includes haematoma, furuncle, small abscess, or similar lesion, and excludes aftercare.

Procedural miscellany

Dressing burns includes any associated consultation. Gastric band adjustment includes any associated consultation.

Nose, eyelid, eyebrow, lip, ear, digit or genitalia, or contiguous area

Face, neck, scalp, nipple-areola complex, or distal limb

All other areas

Benign skin lesions include solar/actinic keratosis, cyst, ulcer or scar (other than a scar removed during the surgical approach at an operation), excluding common warts and seborrheic keratoses which can be claimed only on attendance basis or item (ablation ≥10 lesions). Solar/actinic keratoses are distinct from seborrhoeic keratoses and excisions can be claimed as per benign lesions. Malignant skin lesions include BCC, SCC, and keratoacanthoma. Melanoma includes melanoma, appendageal carcinoma, malignant connective tissue tumour of skin and Merkel cell carcinoma of skin.