MBS Item Compliance
What your notes must show
Item-by-item documentation tests for Australian practitioners. Each entry covers the descriptor conditions, what your clinical notes need to record to match what the item asks, and the failure modes that show up most often.
Reference only — not billing advice
MBS items, fees, and requirements change. Always verify the current item descriptor and rules on MBS Online before billing. These pages do not include fee amounts and are not legal, clinical, or billing advice. Practitioners are responsible for ensuring their documentation meets their registration body, employer, and Medicare requirements.
General consultation (4 items)
- 23 Level B GP consultation Professional attendance by a general practitioner at consulting rooms, lasting at least 6 minutes and less than 20 minutes, requiring the taking of a relevant history, performing a clinical examination, or both. Documentation tests →
- 36 Level C GP consultation Professional attendance by a general practitioner, at least 20 minutes in duration, requiring a detailed history, clinical examination, and arrangement of any necessary investigations. Documentation tests →
- 44 Level D GP consultation Professional attendance by a general practitioner, at least 40 minutes in duration, requiring an extensive history, comprehensive clinical examination, and arrangement of any necessary investigations. Documentation tests →
- 705 GP long health assessment (45 to less than 60 minutes) Professional attendance by a general practitioner to perform a long health assessment, lasting at least 45 minutes but less than 60 minutes. Covers comprehensive information collection (including patient history), an extensive examination of the patient's medical condition and physical function, initiation of interventions and referrals as indicated, and a basic preventive health care management plan. Item 705 is the 45–<60 min duration tier in the four-tier GP health assessment series (701 ≤30 min, 703 30–<45 min, 705 45–<60 min, 707 ≥60 min). Eligible target groups include 75 years and over, RACF residents, persons with intellectual disability, type 2 diabetes risk evaluation (ages 40–49), 45–49 chronic disease risk assessment, refugees and humanitarian entrants, and former ADF personnel (veterans). Frequency caps differ by target group (see requirements below). Documentation tests →
Mental health (3 items)
- 2715 GP Mental Health Treatment Plan — preparation (20 to less than 40 minutes) Preparation by a general practitioner who has completed mental-health-skills training of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan for a patient with a mental disorder, where the consultation takes at least 20 minutes but less than 40 minutes. Includes assessment, preparation of a documented plan, and discussion with the patient. Documentation tests →
- 2717 GP Mental Health Treatment Plan — preparation (at least 40 minutes) Preparation by a general practitioner who has completed mental-health-skills training of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan for a patient with a mental disorder, where the consultation takes at least 40 minutes. Includes assessment, preparation of a documented plan, and discussion with the patient. This is the longer-consultation counterpart to item 2715 — it is a preparation item, not a review item. The MHTP review pathway is items 23 / 36 / 44 (time-tiered attendance) with the AN.0.56 timing rule (4 weeks since MHTP, 3 months since previous review). Documentation tests →
- 81000–93029 Non-directive Pregnancy Support Counselling (NDPSC) Non-directive pregnancy support counselling provided to a patient who is currently pregnant or who has been pregnant in the preceding 12 months. Eligible providers are credentialled mental health nurses, eligible psychologists, and eligible social workers. Item billed depends on provider type and delivery mode (in-person, video, or phone). All items share a 30-minute minimum duration and a 3-service-per-pregnancy cumulative cap. Documentation tests →
Chronic disease management (12 items)
- 965 GP Chronic Condition Management Plan — preparation Professional attendance by a general practitioner to prepare a GP chronic condition management plan for a patient. Effective 1 July 2025, item 965 replaced the legacy GP Management Plan (item 721) and consolidated the Team Care Arrangement (item 723) collaborative-care function into a single preparation item. Patients with plans under the legacy framework can continue under those arrangements until 1 July 2027. Telehealth equivalent is item 92029. Where collaborative multidisciplinary care is required, multidisciplinary care plan items 231/729 (non-RACF) or 232/731 (RACF) are billed alongside 965. Documentation tests →
- 967 GP Chronic Condition Management Plan — review (face-to-face) Professional attendance by a general practitioner to review a GP chronic condition management plan, face-to-face. Effective 1 July 2025, item 967 is the review counterpart to 965 (preparation), replacing the legacy GPMP review item 732. Telehealth equivalent is item 92030. Reviews are billed at most once every 3 months unless exceptional circumstances apply. Documentation tests →
- 92029 GP Chronic Condition Management Plan — preparation (video telehealth) Video attendance by a general practitioner to prepare a GP chronic condition management plan for a patient. Item 92029 is the video-telehealth equivalent of in-person item 965; same descriptor requirements as 965, delivered by videoconference. Effective 1 July 2025 alongside the wider GPCCMP framework that replaced legacy items 721/723. Patients with plans under the legacy framework can continue under those arrangements until 1 July 2027. There is no phone equivalent — phone-only attendance does not satisfy the descriptor. Documentation tests →
- 92030 GP Chronic Condition Management Plan — review (video telehealth) Video attendance by a general practitioner to review a GP chronic condition management plan prepared by the general practitioner or an associated medical practitioner. Item 92030 is the video-telehealth equivalent of in-person item 967. Reviews are billed at most once every 3 months unless exceptional circumstances apply. There is no phone equivalent. Documentation tests →
- 729 GP contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan (non-RACF, face-to-face) Contribution by a general practitioner to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider, OR to a review of such a plan, where the patient is not a resident of an aged care facility. Face-to-face attendance. The legacy collaborative-care pathway that operated alongside the (now retired) Team Care Arrangement (item 723); 729 continues to operate post-1 July 2025 for scenarios where another provider holds the plan. Telehealth video equivalent is item 92026. Documentation tests →
- 731 GP contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan (RACF / hospital discharge, face-to-face) Contribution by a general practitioner to (a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or to a review of such a plan; or (b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan. Face-to-face attendance. Telehealth video equivalent is item 92027. Documentation tests →
- 231 PMP contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan (non-RACF, face-to-face) Contribution by a prescribed medical practitioner (PMP) to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider, or to a review of such a plan, where the patient is not a resident of an aged care facility. Face-to-face attendance. PMP-only (not for general practitioners — the GP equivalent is item 729 — and not for specialists or consultant physicians). Telehealth video equivalent is item 92057. Documentation tests →
- 232 PMP contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan (RACF / hospital discharge, face-to-face) Contribution by a prescribed medical practitioner (PMP) to (a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or to a review of such a plan; or (b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan. Face-to-face attendance. PMP-only — the GP equivalent is item 731. Telehealth video equivalent is item 92058. Documentation tests →
- 92026 GP contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan (non-RACF, video telehealth) Video attendance by a general practitioner contributing to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider, or to a review of such a plan, where the patient is not a resident of an aged care facility. Video-telehealth equivalent of in-person item 729. No phone equivalent. Same documentation requirements as 729 plus telehealth-specific elements (audio + visual link confirmation, established clinical relationship, modality adaptations). Documentation tests →
- 92027 GP contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan (RACF / hospital discharge, video telehealth) Video attendance by a general practitioner contributing to (a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or a review of such a plan; or (b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan. Video-telehealth equivalent of in-person item 731. No phone equivalent. Documentation tests →
- 92057 PMP contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan (non-RACF, video telehealth) Video attendance by a prescribed medical practitioner (PMP) contributing to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider, or to a review of such a plan, where the patient is not a resident of an aged care facility. Video-telehealth equivalent of in-person item 231. PMP-only — not for GPs (use 92026), specialists, or consultant physicians. No phone equivalent. Documentation tests →
- 92058 PMP contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan (RACF / hospital discharge, video telehealth) Video attendance by a prescribed medical practitioner (PMP) contributing to (a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or to a review of such a plan; or (b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan. Video-telehealth equivalent of in-person item 232. PMP-only — not for GPs (use 92027), specialists, or consultant physicians. No phone equivalent. Documentation tests →
Better Access (9 items)
- 80000–80015 Better Access — Clinical Psychologist (individual psychological therapy) Psychological therapy health service provided to a patient individually and in person by an eligible clinical psychologist under Better Access. Item billed depends on duration (≥30 min and <50 min, or ≥50 min) and service location (consulting rooms, or other). Documentation tests →
- 80020–80025 Better Access — Clinical Psychologist (group therapy) Psychological therapy group service provided in person by an eligible clinical psychologist under Better Access, to a group of 4 to 10 patients. 80020 = in-person group ≥60 min. 80025 = video-conference group ≥120 min from a telehealth-eligible area. Documentation tests →
- 80100–80115 Better Access — Registered Psychologist (individual focussed psychological strategies) Focussed psychological strategies (FPS) health service provided to a patient individually and in person by an eligible psychologist under Better Access. Item billed depends on duration (≥20 min and <50 min, or ≥50 min) and service location. Documentation tests →
- 80120 Better Access — Registered Psychologist (group) Focussed psychological strategies group service provided in person by an eligible psychologist to a group of 4 to 10 patients, at least 60 minutes duration. Documentation tests →
- 80150–80165 Better Access — Mental Health Social Worker (individual focussed psychological strategies) Focussed psychological strategies (FPS) health service provided to a patient individually and in person by an eligible (accredited mental health) social worker under Better Access. Item billed depends on duration (≥20 min and <50 min, or ≥50 min) and service location. Documentation tests →
- 80170 Better Access — Mental Health Social Worker (group) Focussed psychological strategies group service provided in person by an eligible social worker to a group of 4 to 10 patients, at least 60 minutes duration. Documentation tests →
- 80125–80140 Better Access — Mental Health Occupational Therapist (individual focussed psychological strategies) Focussed psychological strategies (FPS) health service provided to a patient individually and in person by an eligible occupational therapist under Better Access. Item billed depends on duration (≥20 min and <50 min, or ≥50 min) and service location. Documentation tests →
- 80145 Better Access — Mental Health Occupational Therapist (group) Focussed psychological strategies group service provided in person by an eligible occupational therapist to a group of 4 to 10 patients, at least 60 minutes duration. Documentation tests →
- 91177 Better Access family/carer participation — registered psychologist video, ≥50 min Video attendance for a focussed psychological strategies health service provided by an eligible psychologist to a person other than the patient (a family member or carer), as part of the patient's treatment under an MHTP. Service must last at least 50 minutes. Maximum 2 services per calendar year per patient. The session counts toward the patient's annual Better Access session allocation. Other Better Access provider types (clinical psychologist, social worker, OT) have separate family/carer items. Documentation tests →
Allied health (3 items)
- 10954 CDM Allied Health — Dietetics Dietetics health service of at least 20 minutes provided to a patient with a chronic condition and complex care needs, on referral from the patient's GP under a chronic condition management plan. Documentation tests →
- 10958 CDM Allied Health — Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy health service of at least 20 minutes provided to a patient with a chronic condition and complex care needs, on referral from the patient's GP under a chronic condition management plan. Documentation tests →
- 10960 CDM Allied Health — Physiotherapy Physiotherapy health service of at least 20 minutes provided to a patient with a chronic condition and complex care needs, on referral from the patient's GP under a chronic condition management plan. Documentation tests →
Specialist (5 items)
- 291 Psychiatrist assessment and management plan Professional attendance lasting more than 45 minutes at consulting rooms by a consultant psychiatrist following referral, providing a comprehensive diagnostic assessment and a management plan that is sent in writing to the referring practitioner within 2 weeks of the attendance. Documentation tests →
- 296–299 Psychiatrist new-patient comprehensive consultation Professional attendance lasting more than 45 minutes by a consultant psychiatrist following referral, where the patient is either new to this psychiatrist or has not received a professional attendance from this psychiatrist in the preceding 24 months. Item billed depends on location — consulting rooms (296), hospital (297), or other location (299). Documentation tests →
- 300–308 Psychiatric attendance — duration-tier follow-up Professional attendance by a consultant psychiatrist at consulting rooms following referral. Five items differ only in the duration of the attendance — 300 (≤15 min), 302 (>15 to ≤30 min), 304 (>30 to ≤45 min), 306 (>45 to ≤75 min), 308 (>75 min). All share a 50-attendances-per-calendar-year combined cap across the in-rooms items (296/297/299/300/302/304/306/308) and their telehealth equivalents (91827–91831, 91837–91839, 92437). The time band documented must match the item claimed. Documentation tests →
- 92437 Psychiatrist new-patient comprehensive consultation — video telehealth Video attendance lasting more than 45 minutes by a consultant psychiatrist following referral, where the patient is either new to this psychiatrist or has not received a professional attendance from this psychiatrist in the preceding 24 months. Item 92437 is the video-telehealth equivalent of the in-person new-patient family (296 consulting rooms, 297 hospital, 299 other location). Documentation tests →
- 91827–91839 Psychiatric attendance — duration-tier follow-up (telehealth) Telehealth professional attendance by a consultant psychiatrist following referral, time-banded by duration. Eight items differ by modality (video 91827–91831 vs phone 91837–91839) and duration tier. The video items approximately match the in-person 300/302/304/306/308 duration tiers, with one important difference in boundary wording: the telehealth items use 'at least X minutes' for tiers 91828/91829/91830/91831 (and 91838/91839 for phone), whereas the in-person items use 'more than X minutes' for tiers 302/304/306/308. This means a consultation of exactly 15.0 / 30.0 / 45.0 / 75.0 minutes maps to a different item across the two modalities — the in-person item belongs to the lower tier, the telehealth item belongs to the upper tier. Practitioners delivering attendances at boundary minutes should claim the item whose modality and exact descriptor wording matches their consultation. All items share a 50-attendances-per-calendar-year combined cap across 296/297/299/300/302/304/306/308 + 91827–91831 + 91837–91839 + 92437. The time band documented must match the item claimed. Documentation tests →
Source authority
- Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Online — official descriptor, fee, and rule lookup
- Professional Services Review scheme — audit framework
- Department of Health and Aged Care item rule clarifications