July 2020 indexation of MBS items
The MBS indexation factor for 1 July 2020 is 1.5 per cent.
Indexation was applied to most of the general medical services items, all diagnostic imaging services, except nuclear medicine imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and two pathology items (74990 and 74991).
Further information on the indexation schedule for the MBS is available on the webpage - Medicare Indexation Schedule.
Further information is available on the webpage - Medicare Indexation of Diagnostic Imaging Services Factsheet
Changes to Mental Health and Well-being Video Conferencing Consultations
MBS items 2121, 2150 and 2196 (for GPs) and MBS items 894, 896 and 898 (for non-specialist medical practitioners) were introduced on 1 November 2018 to provide temporary mental health services via telehealth to support patients in drought affected areas until 30 June 2020. These items were expanded on 10 January 2020 to allow patients adversely affected by the bushfires.
Patients in drought affected areas will no longer have access to these items after 30 June 2020. They will continue to be able to access mental health services provided by general practitioners and other medical practitioners working in general practice via the face-to-face attendances.
From 1 July 2020 these items will only provide support to patients if they considered to have had their mental health adversely affected by a bushfire which occurred in the 2019-20 financial year. These items were indexed by 1.5 per cent in line with standard Medicare indexation.
Other minor amendments
Diagnostic Imaging Services
· Item 57351 has been amended to clarify the policy intent of the item that a general practitioner does not need to discuss the case with the specialist or consultant physician in order to request the service.
· Items 63541 and 63543 have been updated to remove "K" reference. This should have occurred with the May 2020 changes to diagnostic imaging.
· Minor amendments to items 63551, 63554, 63557 and 63560 to provide clarity that these services are MRI services which provides consistency with other MRI items.
Pathology Services
· Item 65070 has been updated to pluralise set.
· Item 65099 has been updated to specify in the descriptor that direct testing of donor red cells from each unit against serum of the patient by one or more accepted cross-matching techniques is included in the descriptor for the item instead of the rules for the item.
· Item 65102 has been updated to specify in the descriptor that ‘direct testing of donor red cells from each unit against serum of the patient by one or more accepted cross-matching techniques’ is included in the descriptor for the item instead of the rules for the item.
· Item 65181 has been updated to add the word 'described' to the item descriptor.
· Item 66517 has been updated to clarify that the service is 'Applicable not more than 3 times in a pregnancy'.
· Item 66719 has been updated to specify the requirements for the item in the descriptor that the test is relevant for TSH results outside the normal reference range.
· Item 66750 has been updated to reorder phrasing.
· Item 69324 has been updated to change mentioned to described in the descriptor.
· Item 69333 has been updated to pluralise examination.
· Item 69336 has been updated to change mentioned to described in the descriptor.