Temporary MBS telehealth items are available to providers of telehealth services for a wide range of consultations. All Medicare eligible Australians can now receive these services.
COVID-19 Bulk Billing Changes
GP and OMP COVID-19 telehealth services are eligible for MBS incentive payments when provided as bulk billed services to Commonwealth concession card holders and children under 16 years of age. For all other patients, bulk billing is at the discretion of the provider, so long as informed financial consent is obtained prior to the provision of the service.
All Medicare eligible Australians can receive these services if they have an established clinical relationship with a GP, OMP, or a medical practice.
An established relationship means the medical practitioner performing the service:
- has provided at least one face-to-face service to the patient in the 12 months preceding the telehealth attendance; or
- is located at a medical practice where the patient has had at least one face-to-face service arranged by that practice in the 12 months preceding the telehealth attendance (including services performed by another doctor located at the practice, or a service performed by another health professional located at the practice, such as a practice nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker); or
- is a participant in the Approved Medical Deputising Service program, and the Approved Medical Deputising Service provider employing the medical practitioner has a formal agreement with a medical practice that has provided at least one face-to-face service to the patient in the 12 months preceding the telehealth attendance.
The established relationship requirement does not apply to:
- children under the age of 12 months;
- people who are homeless;
- patients receiving an urgent after-hours (unsociable hours) service; or
- patients of medical practitioners at an Aboriginal Medical Service or an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service.
- people who are in a COVID-19 Commonwealth declared hotspot, in COVID-19 isolation because of a State or Territory public health order, or in COVID-19 quarantine because of a State or Territory public health order.
AND patients accessing specific MBS items for:
- blood borne viruses, sexual or reproductive health consultations (new items); and
- pregnancy counselling services;
- mental health services; and
- nicotine and smoking cessation counselling (new items).
For updated information about eligibilities and exemptions visit MBS Online.
Patients who are more vulnerable to COVID-19, is someone who:
- is required to self-isolate or self-quarantine in accordance with guidance issued by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee in relation to COVID-19; or
- is at least 70 years old; or
- identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent—is at least 50 years old; or
- is pregnant; or
- is the parent of a child aged under 12 months; or
- is being treated for a chronic health condition; or
- is immune compromised; or
- meets the current national triage protocol criteria for suspected COVID-19 infection.
Temporary MBS Telehealth Items
Below are the temporary MBS telehealth items available for general practitioner attendance until 31 December 2021.
Existing items are face-to-face; telehealth items are via video conference; telephone items are for when video-conferencing is not available.
Standard GP Attendance
| Service | Existing Items | Telehealth Items | Telephone Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance for an obvious problem | 3 | 91790 | 91795 |
| Attendance for less than 20 minutes | 23 | 91800 | 91809 |
| Attendance for 20 to 40 minutes | 36 | 91801 | 91810 |
| Attendance for more than 40 minutes | 44 | 91802 | 91811 |
Health Assessment for People of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Descent
| Service | Existing Items | Telehealth Items | Telephone Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP health assessment | 715 | 92004 | 92016 |
The continuing availability of these items will be reviewed prior to 31 December 2021. Please visit the MBS Online website for the latest information on telehealth items.
If you have any questions or require any further information, contact your Western Sydney Primary Health Network Practice Development Coordinator, the WentWest Helpdesk on 8811 7117 or email support@wentwest.com.au.
Chronic Disease Management
| Service | Existing Items | Telehealth Items | Telephone Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation of a GP management plan (GPMP) | 721 | 92024 | 92068 |
| Coordination of Team Care Arrangements (TCAs) | 723 | 92025 | 92069 |
| Contribution to a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, or to a review of a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, for a patient who is not a care recipient in a residential aged care facility | 729 | 92026 | 92070 |
| Contribution to a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, or to a review of a multidisciplinary care plan, for a resident in an aged care facility | 731 | 92027 | 92071 |
| Review of a GPMP or Coordination of a Review of TCAs | 732 | 92028 | 92072 |
Autism Management
| Service | Existing Items | Telehealth Items | Telephone Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment, diagnosis and preparation of a treatment and management plan for patients under 13 years, with an eligible disability, for more than 45 minutes. | 139 | 92142 | 92145 |
Pregnancy Support
| Service | Existing Items | Telehealth Items | Telephone Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-directive pregnancy support counselling for more than 20 minutes | 4001 | 92136 | 92138 |
Eating Disorder Management
| Service | Existing Items | Telehealth Items | Telephone Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP without mental health skills training, preparation of an eating disorder treatment and management plan for 20 to 40 minutes | 90250 | 92146 | 92154 |
| GP without mental health skills training, preparation of an eating disorder treatment and management plan for more than 40 minutes | 90251 | 92147 | 92155 |
| GP with mental health skills training, preparation of an eating disorder treatment and management plan for 20 to 40 minutes | 90252 | 92148 | 92156 |
| GP with mental health skills training, preparation of an eating disorder treatment and management plan for more than 40 minutes | 90253 | 92149 | 92157 |
| Review of an eating disorder treatment and management plan | 90264 | 92170 | 92176 |
| Eating disorder psychological treatment (EDPT) service for 30 to 40 minutes | 90271 | 92182 | 92194 |
| EDPT service for more than 40 minutes | 90273 | 92184 | 92196 |
Mental Health
General Practitioners (credentialed with Clinical Enhancement Module)
| Service | Existing Items | Telehealth Items | Telephone Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP without mental health training, prepare a mental health plan for 20 to 40 minutes | 2700 | 92112 | 92124 |
| GP without mental health training, prepare a mental health plan for more than 40 minutes | 2701 | 92113 | 92125 |
| Review of a GP mental health treatment plan or Psychiatrist Assessment and Management Plan | 2712 | 92114 | 92126 |
| Mental health treatment consultation for more than 20 minutes | 2713 | 92115 | 92127 |
| GP with mental health skills training, preparation of a GP mental health treatment plan for 20 to 40 minutes | 2715 | 92116 | 92128 |
| GP with mental health skills training, preparation of a GP mental health treatment plan for more than 40 minutes | 2717 | 92117 | 92129 |
| Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) treatment for 30 to 40 minutes | 2729 | 91818 | 91842 |
| FPS treatment for more than 40 minutes | 2731 | 91819 | 91843 |
Urgent After Hours
| Service | Existing Items | Telehealth Items | Telephone Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP urgent after hours, unsociable | 599 | 92210 | 92216 |
Joint GP Specialist Case Conferencing
Practices participating in Joint GP Specialist Case Conferencing with the Western Sydney Diabetes Team via telehealth can continue to bill case conferences with the existing 739 item number.
More Information
The continuing availability of these items will be reviewed prior to 31 December 2021. Please visit the MBS Online website for the latest information on telehealth items.
If you have any questions or require any further information, contact your Practice Development Coordinator, the WentWest Helpdesk on 8811 7117 or email support@wentwest.com.au.
Information on this page is correct as of 3:30pm AEST Thursday 2 September 2021.