Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing

Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC)

How to list on the MBS

Application processes for MSAC assessments

The Review of the Health Technology Assessment in Australia (HTA Review), recommended that MSAC strengthen and streamline its operations and improve the flexibility of its regulatory processes.
Work has been undertaken to address this recommendation.
An MSAC public discussion document (PDF 228 KB) was released which allowed for stakeholder input into the proposed new processes.
Input from stakeholders has informed changes to the MSAC application process which are illustrated in the process map

Processes map relating to the consideration by MSAC of Medical Services (Powerpoint 187 KB)
Processes map relating to the consideration by MSAC of Medical Services (PDF 20 KB)

Further mapping and analysis has been undertaken to ascertain where further streamlining of applications can occur.
Information to assist applicants with co-dependent technologies is available through the HTA access point
The meeting dates for MSAC and its subcommittees in 2012 are now available.

MSAC and its subcommittees calendar for 2012 (Word 130 KB)
MSAC and its subcommittees calendar for 2012 (PDF 25 KB)

These have been aligned with PBAC meeting dates.

The documentation to initiate an application to MSAC for public funding of a proposed medical service has been redeveloped.
Information on the pre-assessment stage is now available.

Pre-assessment documentation to initiate an application to MSAC for public funding of a proposed medical service (RTF 25788 KB)
Pre-assessment documentation to initiate an application to MSAC for public funding of a proposed medical service (Word 815 KB)
Pre-assessment documentation to initiate an application to MSAC for public funding of a proposed medical service (PDF 204 KB)

Applicants are encouraged to provide feedback on these documents to hta@health.gov.au.
This feedback will be used to further refine the documentation.
Draft Guidelines for the submission of evidence to MSAC for assessment will be made available in early 2012

Who can apply?

Applications can be made by the medical profession, medical industry and others with an interest in seeking Australian government funding for a new medical technology or procedure.

How to apply

Step 1: Confirm Lobbyist status

Step 2: Organise a Initial Meeting
Available meeting dates for 2011 and 2012

Step 3: Confirm Eligibility of the proposed medical service
Draft letter for professional body support (Word 30 KB)
Draft letter for professional body support (RTF 28 KB)

Step 4: Complete a proposed Decision Analytical Protocol to PASC for consideration
Deadlines for a proposed decision analytic protocol for 2012

Step 5: Complete a submission of evidence to MSAC for assessment
Deadlines for a submission-based assessment for 2012


Before submitting evidence for MSAC's approval, all therapeutic goods used in the relevant medical service should have been listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods or an application for listing have been lodged with the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

For further inquiries, contact the HTAAP Hotline on (02) 6289 7550 or email hta@health.gov.au.

Further advice to applicants

It is accepted that documents submitted throughout the MSAC process may contain information the applicant believes is confidential.
However these claims will be agreed by the department on a case by case basis, in line with current government policies (these include, but are not limited to, statistical data and positions of trust classifications)

In any claim for confidentiality the applicant will be asked to state the basis on which the claim for confidentiality is being made. Further information on the relevant government policies is available at www.ags.gov.au/publications/agspubs/legalbriefings/br64.htm

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Page currency, Latest update: 30 September, 2011

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