Released

1. Medicare
   

1. DVA
   

Summary of Changes

o From 30 March 2020, telehealth (video-conference) and phone consultation items are available to all Australians. This is stage 4 of the COVID-19 response.

o The schedule fees for the bulk billing incentive items have been increased, to encourage medical practitioners to provide bulk-billed services to vulnerable patient groups. Bulk-billing incentives items are available for medical services (items 10990, 10991 and 10992), diagnostic imaging services (items 64990 and 64991) and pathology services (74990 and 74991) for patients who are either under 16 years old, or who are a Commonwealth concessional beneficiary.
​


GENERAL PRACTITIONER ATTENDANCES These services need to be bulk-billed, and are for non-admitted patients
Service	Existing Items face to face	COVID-19 Telehealth items video-conference	COVID-19 Telephone items – for when video-conferencing is not available
GP attendance for an obvious problem	3	91790	91795
GP attendance less than 20 minutes	23	91800	91809
GP attendance at least 20 minutes	36	91801	91810
GP attendance at least 40 minutes	44	91802	91811

Health assessment
* GP ATSI health assessment	715	92004	92016

Chronic Disease Management
* GP management plan, prepare	721	92024	92068
* GP team care arrangement, co-ordinate development	723	92025	92069
* GP contribution to prepare or review a multidisciplinary care plan, prepared by another provider	729	92026	92070
* GP contribution to prepare or review a multidisciplinary care plan, prepared by a provider when the patient was admitted or by a RACF	731	92027	92071
* GP attendance to coordinate a GP management plan or team care arrangements	732	92028	92072

Autism Management
* GP early intervention services for children with autism, pervasive developmental disorder or disability	139	92142	92145

Pregnancy Support
* GP pregnancy support item, more than 20 minutes	4001	92136	92138

Eating Disorder Management
* GP without mental health training, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, 20 to 40 minutes	90250	92146	92154
* GP without mental health training, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, more than 40 minutes	90251	92147	92155
* GP with mental health training, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, 20 to 40 minutes	90252	92148	92156
* GP with mental health training, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, more than 40 minutes	90253	92149	92157
* GP to review an eating disorder plan	90264	92170	92176
* GP eating disorder FPS treatment, 30 to 40 minutes	90271	92182	92194
* GP eating disorder FPS treatment, more than 40 minutes	90273	92184	92196

Mental Health
General Practitioners (credentialed with CEM)
* GP without mental health training, prepare a mental health plan, 20 to 40 minutes	2700	92112	92124
* GP without mental health training, prepare a mental health plan, more than 40 minutes	2701	92113	92125
* GP to review a mental health plan	2712	92114	92126
* GP mental health consult, more than 20 minutes	2713	92115	92127
* GP with mental health training, prepare a mental health plan, 20 to 40 minutes	2715	92116	92128
* GP with mental health training, prepare a mental health plan, more than 40 minutes	2717	92117	92129
FPS treatment of 30 to 40 minutes	2729	91818	91842
FPS treatment of more than 40 minutes	2731	91819	91843

Urgent After Hours
* GP urgent after hours, unsociable	599	92210	92216

OTHER MEDICAL PRACTITIONER ATTENDANCES These services need to be bulk-billed, and are for non-admitted patients
Service	Existing Items face to face	COVID-19 Telehealth items video-conference	COVID-19 Telephone items – for when video-conferencing is not available
Attendance of not more than 5 minutes	52	91792	91797
Attendance of more than 5 minutes but not more than 25 minutes	53	91803	91812
Attendance of more than 25 minutes but not more than 45 minutes	54	91804	91813
Attendance of more than 45 minutes	57	91805	91814
Attendance of not more than 5 minutes	179	91794	91799
Attendance of more than 5 minutes but not more than 25 minutes. Modified Monash 2-7 area	185	91806	91815
Attendance of more than 25 minutes but not more than 45 minutes. Modified Monash 2-7 area	189	91807	91816
Attendance of more than 45 minutes. Modified Monash 2-7 area	203	91808	91817

Health assessment
* OMP ATSI health assessment		228	92011			92023
Chronic Disease Management
* OMP management plan, prepare		229	92055			92099
* OMP team care arrangement, coordinate development		230	92056			92100
* OMP contribution to prepare or review a multidisciplinary care plan, prepared by another provider		231	92057			92101
* OMP contribution to prepare or review a multidisciplinary care plan, prepared by a provider when the patient was admitted or by a RACF		232	92058			92102
* OMP attendance to coordinate a GP management plan or team care arrangements		233	92059			92103

Pregnancy support
* OMP pregnancy support item, more than 20 minutes	792	92137	92139

Eating Disorder Management
* OMP without mental health training, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, 20 to 40 minutes	90254	92150	92158
* OMP without mental health training, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, more than 40 minutes	90255	92151	92159
* OMP with mental health training, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, 20 to 40 minutes	90256	92152	92160
* OMP with mental health training, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, at least 40 minutes	90257	92153	92161
* OMP to review an eating disorder plan	90265	92171	92177
* OMP eating disorder FPS treatment, 30 to 40 minutes	90275	92186	92198
* OMP eating disorder FPS treatment, more than 40 minutes	90277	92188	92200

Urgent after hours
* OMP urgent after hours, unsociable	600	92211	92217

Mental Health
* OMP without mental health training, prepare a mental health plan, 20 to 40 minutes	272	92118	92130
* OMP without mental health training, prepare a mental health plan, more than 40 minutes	276	92119	92131
* OMP to review a mental health plan	277	92120	92132
* OMP mental health consult, more than 20 minutes	279	92121	92133
* OMP with mental health training, prepare a mental health plan, 20 to 40 minutes	281	92122	92134
* OMP with mental health training, prepare a mental health plan, more than 40 minutes	282	92123	92135
FPS treatment of 30 to 40 minutes	371	91820	91844
FPS treatment of more than 40 minutes	372	91821	91845

SPECIALIST, CONSULTANT PHYSICIAN AND PSYCHIATRIST ATTENDANCES for COVID-19 These services need to be bulk-billed, and are for non-admitted patients
Service	Existing Items face to face	COVID-19 Telehealth items video-conference	COVID-19 Telephone items – for when video-conferencing is not available
Specialist. Initial attendance	104	91822*	91832*
Specialist. Subsequent attendance	105	91823*	91833*
Consultant physician. Initial attendance	110	91824**	91834**
Consultant physician. Subsequent attendance	116	91825**	91835**
Consultant physician. Minor attendance	119	91826**	91836**
*Paediatrics early intervention services for children with autism, pervasive developmental disorder or disability	135	92140	92143
*Specialist or consultant physician early intervention services for children with autism, pervasive developmental disorder or disability	137	92141	92144
Consultant psychiatrist. Consultation, not more than 15 minutes, fewer than 50 attendances	300	91827	91837
Consultant psychiatrist. Consultation, 15 to 30 minutes, fewer than 50 attendances	302	91828	91838
Consultant psychiatrist. Consultation, 30 to 45 minutes, fewer than 50 attendances	304	91829	91839
Consultant psychiatrist. Consultation, 45 to 75 minutes, fewer than 50 attendances	306	91830	91840
Consultant psychiatrist. Consultation, more than 75 minutes, fewer than 50 attendances	308	91831	91841
* Consultant psychiatrist, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, more than 45 minutes	90260	92162	92166
* Paediatrician, prepare an eating disorder treatment and management plan, more than 45 minutes	90261	92163	92167
* Consultant psychiatrist, to review an eating disorder plan, more than 30 minutes	90266	92172	92178
* Paediatrician, to review an eating disorder plan, more than 20 minutes	90267	92173	92179

*For all specialties that have an existing arrangement to access consultations at the specialist rate.
**For all specialties that have an existing arrangement to access consultations at the consultant physician rate.



OBSTETRICIANS, GPs, MIDWIVES, NURSES OR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER HEALTH PRACTITIONERS ATTENDANCES for COVID-19 These services need to be bulk-billed, and are for non-admitted patients
Service	Existing Items face to face	COVID-19 Telehealth items video-conference	COVID-19 Telephone items – for when video-conferencing is not available
Antenatal Service provided by a Nurse, Midwife or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner on behalf of, and under the supervision of, a medical practitioner	16400	91850	91855
Postnatal attendance by an obstetrician or GP	16407	91851	91856
Postnatal attendance by: (i) a midwife (on behalf of and under the supervision of the medical practitioner who attended the birth); or (ii) an obstetrician; or (iii) a general practitioner	16408	91852	91857
Antenatal attendance	16500	91853	91858

PARTICIPATING NURSE PRACTITIONER ATTENDANCES for COVID-19 These services need to be bulk-billed, and are for non-admitted patients
Service	Existing Items face to face	COVID-19 Telehealth items video-conference	COVID-19 Telephone items – for when video-conferencing is not available
Attendance for an obvious problem	82200	91192	91193
Attendance less than 20 minutes	82205	91178	91189
Attendance at least 20 minutes	82210	91179	91190
Attendance at least 40 minutes	82215	91180	91191

MENTAL HEALTH ATTENDANCES for COVID-19 These services need to be bulk-billed, and are for non-admitted patients GP mental health attendances and OMP mental health attendances are included under the GP and OMP tables above
Service	Existing Items current video-conference items Current geographic restrictions apply	COVID-19 Telehealth items video-conference Geographic restrictions do not apply	COVID-19 Telephone items – for when video-conferencing is not available Geographic restrictions do not apply
Clinical Psychologists
Attendance lasting more than 30 minutes but less than 50 minutes	80001	91166	91181
Attendance lasting at least 50 minutes	80011	91167	91182
Psychologists
Attendance lasting more than 20 minutes but less than 50 minutes	80101	91169	91183
Attendance lasting at least 50 minutes	80111	91170	91184
Occupational Therapists
Attendance lasting more than 20 minutes but less than 50 minutes	80126	91172	91185
Attendance lasting at least 50 minutes	80136	91173	91186
Social Workers
Attendance lasting more than 20 minutes but less than 50 minutes	80151	91175	91187
Attendance lasting at least 50 minutes	80161	91176	91188

ALLIED HEALTH ATTENDANCES for COVID-19 These services need to be bulk-billed, and are for non-admitted patients
Service	Existing Items face to face	COVID-19 Telehealth items video-conference	COVID-19 Telephone items – for when video-conferencing is not available
Indigenous chronic disease management
* ATSI health worker CDM service (all 13 items)	10950, 10951, 10952, 10953, 10954, 10956, 10958, 10960, 10962, 10964, 10966, 10968, 10970	93000	93013

Pregnancy support
* Pregnancy support counselling, eligible psychologist, at least 30 minutes	81000	93026	93029

Autism management
* Psychology, early intervention services for children with autism, pervasive developmental disorder or disability, under 13 years	82000	93032	93040
* Speech pathology or Occupational therapy, early intervention services for children with autism, pervasive developmental disorder or disability, under 13 years	82005 82010	93033	93041
* Psychology, early intervention services for children with autism, pervasive developmental disorder or disability, under 15 years	82015	93035	93043
* Speech pathology, Occupational therapy, Audiology, Optometry, Orthoptic or Physiotherapy early intervention services for children with autism, pervasive developmental disorder or disability, under 15 years	82020, 82025, 82030, 82035	93036	93044

Indigenous health check
* ATSI health worker, person who has Indigenous health check, at least 20 minutes	81300, 81305, 81310, 81315, 81320, 81325, 81330, 81335, 81340, 81345, 81350, 81355, 81360	93048	93061

Eating Disorder Management
* Dietetics, eating disorders service, at least 20 minutes	82350	93074	93108
* Clinical psychologist, eating disorders service, 30 to 50 minutes	82352	93076	93110
* Clinical psychologist, eating disorders service, at least 50 minutes	82355	93079	93113
* Psychologist, eating disorders service, 20 to 50 minutes	82360	93084	93118
* Psychologist, eating disorders service, at least 50 minutes	82363	93087	93121
* Occupational therapist, eating disorders service, 20 to 50 minutes	82368	93092	93126
* Occupational therapist, eating disorders service, at least 50 minutes	82371	93095	93129
* Social worker, eating disorders service, 20 to 50 minutes	82376	93100	93134
* Social worker, eating disorders service, at least 50 minutes	82379	93103	93137

PARTICIPATING MIDWIFE ATTENDANCES for COVID-19 These services need to be bulk-billed, and are for non-admitted patients
Service	Existing Items face to face	COVID-19 Telehealth items video-conference	COVID-19 Telephone items – for when video-conferencing is not available
Short antenatal attendance lasting up to 40 minutes	82105	91211	91218
Long antenatal attendance lasting at least 40 minutes	82110	91212	91219
Short postnatal attendance lasting up to 40 minutes	82130	91214	91221
Long postnatal attendance lasting at least 40 minutes	82135	91215	91222

PATHOLOGY Item 69485 needs to be bulk-billed
Existing Items face to face		COVID-19
n/a	n/a	69485	Test for SARS-CoV-2 under new item 69485
69494 69495 69496	Detection of a virus or microbial antigen or microbial nucleic acid (not elsewhere specified) (pathologist determinable)	69494 69495 69496	These tests are now also pathologist-determinable if item 69485 has been requested and items 69494, 69495 or 69496 were not requested as part of the same single patient episode


The links to the legislation are below:
• Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services –COVID-19 Services) Determination 2020 - https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L00292
• Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Specialist, Consultant Physician and Consultant Psychiatrist COVID-19 Telehealth Services) Amendment Determination No.2 2020 - https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L00260
• Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – GP and Allied Health COVID-19 Services) Amendment Determination No. 3 2020 - https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L00261
• Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services - COVID-19 Telehealth and Telephone Attendances) Determination 2020 - https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L00342
• Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Bulk-billing Incentive) Regulations 2020 - https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L00341