Role
The MRAC is an independent, clinician and consumer-led committee established to advise Government, as part of the MBS Continuous Review, on publicly funded services listed on the MBS.
Find out more about the MRAC review process and how to submit a review request.
Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Advisory Committee – Terms of reference
Members
The MRAC is comprised of practising clinicians, academics, health system experts and consumers.
| Member | Speciality |
|---|---|
Departmental Adviser | |
| Conjoint Professor Anne Duggan (Chair) | Policy and Clinical Adviser / Gastroenterology |
| Ms Jo Watson (Deputy Chair) | Consumer Representative |
| Dr Jason Agostino | General Practice / Epidemiology / Indigenous Health |
| Dr Matt Andrews | Radiology |
| Professor John Atherton | Cardiology |
| Professor Wendy Brown | General Surgeon – Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgery |
| Ms Jan Donovan | Consumer Representative |
| Professor Adam Elshaug | Health Services / Systems Research |
| Professor Sally Green | Health Services / Systems Research |
| Adjunct Associate Professor Chris Helms | Nurse Practitioner |
| Professor Harriet Hiscock | Paediatrics |
| Ms Alison Marcus | Consumer Representative |
| Associate Professor Elizabeth Marles | General Practice / Indigenous Health and Health Policy |
| Dr Sue Masel | Rural General Practice |
| Professor Christobel Saunders | General Surgeon – Breast Cancer and Reconstructive Surgery |
| Dr Clare Skinner | Emergency Medicine |
| Associate Professor Ken Sikaris | Pathology |
| Ms Robyn Stephen | Paediatric Speech Pathology |
| Professor Rosalie Viney | Health Economic Research |
| Associate Professor Andrew Singer | Principal Medical Adviser, Department of Health and Aged Care |
To learn more about the members of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Advisory Committee (MRAC), see our member biographies.
Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Advisory Committee – Member biographies
Reviews
The MRAC determines the process and timeline for each review by considering many factors, including advice from the department on:
- any identified issues of patient safety, risk, or restricted access
- stakeholder feedback
- the anticipated complexity of the review
- the number of MBS items within scope for consideration or otherwise potentially impacted by the review
- priorities of government.
The MRAC may undertake a review through a full committee discussion over a series of meetings. Otherwise it may elect to establish a working group to lead the review and report back to the committee on its findings.
MRAC working groups have a subset of committee members and may include external members where the committee identifies a need for additional subject matter expertise.
See our members page for the list of current working group members.
The MRAC may also be asked to provide advice to inform review processes led by the department under the MBS Continuous Review program.
In conducting its reviews, the MRAC will:
- engage with stakeholders and subject matter experts
- prepare draft reports for consultation
- submit final reports to the Minister for Health and Aged Care for consideration.
Current reviews
The MRAC has commenced the following reviews:
- a review of vascular interventional radiology MBS items
- a review of MBS items for long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) insertion and removal
- a review of MBS time-tiered items for primary care
- a review of allied health services accessible under MBS Chronic Disease Management arrangements.
Find out more about the MRAC's current reviews.
Completed reviews
The MRAC has completed the following reviews:
- a post-implementation review of changes to electrocardiogram MBS items (finalised at its most recent meeting on 20 August 2024)
- a review of sport and exercise medicine MBS items (finalised at its most recent meeting on 20 August 2024)
- a post-implementation review of telehealth MBS items
- a post-implementation review of changes to colonoscopy MBS items
- proposed introduction of MBS items for genetic counselling services and genetic test requesting rights for HGSA registered genetic counsellors
- a review of surgical assistant billing arrangements and the eligibility of non-medical surgical assistants for remuneration via the MBS.
Download endorsed final reports from completed reviews.
Read more about what happens when a review is completed.
MRAC Consultations
The diverse perspectives, experience and knowledge of stakeholders are valued by the MRAC in undertaking its assessments. Throughout the course of a review, the committee and its working groups engage with stakeholders through:
Involvement in working groups
Subject matter experts may be invited to provide advice to working groups to inform their understanding of current practices and models of care, and gain insights into any current and anticipated challenges.
Targeted consultation
Target consultations involves seeking feedback from identified stakeholders including, but not limited to relevant peak bodies and medical colleges, state and territory governments, and consumer representative organisations. This process may be used to gather feedback on a particular element of a review, or on draft findings and/or recommendations, through the sharing of a draft report or a findings report.
Public consultation
All draft final reports are published on our Consultation Hub for a 6 week public consultation process.
All feedback provided by stakeholders throughout the course of a review is considered by the MRAC and informs its final recommendations to government.
Meetings
The inaugural meeting of the MRAC was held on 9 November 2021. MRAC meets 4 times a year.
The next meeting is scheduled for 12 November 2024
Communiques
Each quarterly communique contains updates from the MRAC including:
- meeting outcomes
- progress on current reviews
- advice about upcoming reviews.
MBS Review Advisory Committee (MRAC) – Communiques
Contact
