MBS items change. Verify the current descriptor, fee, and rules on MBS Online before billing. This page does not include a fee amount. Last reviewed 2 May 2026.
- General consultation
- General Practitioner
Item 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.
Plain-English summary. See MBS Online for the verbatim descriptor of each item.
- TimeAt least 20 minutes (typically up to 40 minutes)
- FrequencyNot capped
- ReferralNot required
- ProfessionGeneral Practitioner
Requirements to bill
Conditions imposed by the descriptor that must be met to claim this item.
- A detailed history covering presenting complaint and relevant background.
- A clinical examination with documented findings.
- Arrangement of any necessary investigations (pathology, imaging, referrals).
- Sufficient consultation duration and complexity.
Your notes must show
Documentation tests — what clinical notes need to record to match what the item asks.
- A detailed history covering the presenting complaint and relevant background.
- Clinical examination findings (not just "examined — NAD").
- Investigations ordered or arranged (pathology, imaging, referrals).
- A clear assessment and management plan.
- Evidence the consultation was of sufficient complexity and duration.
- When this attendance functions as an MHTP review: AN.0.56 advisory timing dates documented (the note states a review "should not" be undertaken within 4 weeks of the MHTP or within 3 months of the previous review — Medicare does not auto-reject outside these intervals but PSR review may flag), reassessment with the original validated tool, progress against each MHTP goal, and any plan modifications with reasoning.
Common audit failures
Patterns the Professional Services Review scheme and Medicare audits flag.
- Brief progress notes that lack examination findings or detailed history (e.g. "Diabetes review. HbA1c 7.2. Continue metformin. Review 3 months.") fail to demonstrate Item 36 complexity.
- No documented investigation arrangements where the clinical picture would warrant them.
- Item 36 billing rate significantly above the national average for the practice — a common PSR statistical-outlier trigger.
- MHTP review billed under Item 36 without documenting the AN.0.56 advisory timing dates or without reassessment against MHTP goals (PSR review may flag claims outside the AN.0.56 intervals even though Medicare does not auto-reject them).
Related MBS items
Templates that document this item
Note templates inside Grounded Scribe that produce documentation aligned to this MBS item.
In-depth reading in the Library
- Medicare Audit-Ready Documentation: A GP's Guide to MBS Item Number ComplianceProfessional Services Review audits can result in repayment demands, exclusion from Medicare, and public referral. Your clinical notes are the primary evidence in any PSR investigation. This guide details exactly what your documentation must contain to withstand scrutiny.
- A Guide to Clinical Note Templates for Australian PractitionersFrom SOAP notes to MBS-compliant templates, learn how to choose the right clinical note format for your profession, your clients, and Medicare billing requirements.
Source authority
Documentation tests on this page reference the descriptor conditions and PSR-audit patterns covered in our existing Library guides. Always confirm current rules against the official descriptor.
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