MBS Primary Care Items
The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) primary care items support primary care services including: general attendances, after-hours attendances, health assessments, nurse practitioners, midwives, chronic disease management and mental health care. Some of these services provide particular target groups with preventative health care or improve coordination of multidisciplinary care for people with chronic (or terminal) conditions and complex care needs. The items include support for services which may be provided by practice nurses, Aboriginal health workers and other allied health professionals.
To access information on any other MBS items not listed on this page, please visit www.mbsonline.gov.au.
Latest News
Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the MBS (Better Access) initiative
From 1 November 2011, the following changes have been made to the Better Access initiative: Four new time-tiered items (items 2700, 2701, 2715 and 2717) have been introduced to replace items 2702 and 2710 for the development of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan; the schedule fees for the review consultation items 2712 and 2713 have been reduced; access to allied mental health services has been capped at ten individual and ten group allied mental health services per patient per calendar year. Further information about these changes and new mental health budget measures are available at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-baBetter Start for Children with Disability initiative
From 1 July 2011 the Better Start for Children with Disability initiative created new Medicare items to provide early intervention services from eligible audiologists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, optometrists, physiotherapists, psychologists and speech pathologists for children with sight and hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome. Further information is available at www.health.gov.au/children-disabilityHelping Children with Autism program
From 1 July, changes to the Helping Children with Autism program allow children with autism or other pervasive developmental disorders to access early intervention services from four additional eligible allied health providers (audiologists, orthoptists, optometrists and physiotherapists). Further information is available at www.health.gov.au/autismFrom 1 November 2010 eligible Midwives and Nurse Practitioners will have access to the Medicare arrangements which include providing Medicare rebateable services, referrals to medical specialists and requesting certain diagnostic services. Further information is available at:
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/midwives-nurse-practitioners.
Removal of Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Terminology
