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).

Plain-English summary. See MBS Online for the verbatim descriptor of each item.

Time

At least 45 minutes but less than 60 minutes

Frequency

Varies by target group — see requirementsToBill (annually for 75+, RACF, intellectual disability; once every 3 years for type 2 diabetes risk; once-only for the 45–49 chronic disease, refugee, and veteran cohorts).

Referral

Not required

Profession

General Practitioner

Requirements to bill

Conditions imposed by the descriptor that must be met to claim this item.

1Patient must fall within one of the eligible target groups: (a) ages 40–49 with high risk of type 2 diabetes; (b) ages 45–49 at risk of chronic disease; (c) ages 75 years and over; (d) permanent resident of a residential aged care facility; (e) person with intellectual disability; (f) refugee or other humanitarian entrant; (g) former member of the Australian Defence Force.
2Frequency cap (target-group specific): 75+, RACF, and intellectual disability — annually (once per 12 months). Type 2 diabetes risk (ages 40–49) — once every 3 years. 45–49 chronic disease risk, refugees, and veterans — once-only per patient under this item.
3Consultation must last at least 45 minutes but less than 60 minutes — for under 30 min use 701, 30 to <45 min use 703, 60 min or more use 707.
4Assessment must include all four elements of the descriptor: (a) comprehensive information collection including history; (b) extensive examination of medical condition and physical function; (c) interventions and referrals initiated as indicated; (d) basic preventive health care management plan.
5A systematic, structured assessment — not a routine consultation relabelled (items 23/36/44 apply to those).
6Identified issues must lead to a documented action — referral, follow-up, GPCCMP (item 965), or reassurance with rationale.

Your notes must show

Documentation tests — what clinical notes need to demonstrate to survive a PSR audit.

Patient identification — DOB / age, target group eligibility (e.g. "75+", "RACF resident", "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person aged 45–49 chronic disease assessment"), and the date of the most recent prior 705 (or 701/703/707) claim where the cap is age-based.
Date of assessment and start/end times demonstrating ≥45 min and <60 min.
Comprehensive history — presenting concerns, past medical history, medications (with adherence), allergies, vaccination status, family history, social history.
Examination findings — physical examination targeted to the patient and target group; for 75+: lying and standing blood pressure (postural hypotension screen), vision, hearing, mobility, ADLs. For RACF/intellectual disability: function, communication, behaviour, and supports. For diabetes risk: BMI, waist circumference, fasting lipids, fasting glucose, AUSDRISK score.
Cohort-specific screening — 75+: validated cognitive screen (MMSE, GPCOG, or Mini-Cog) with score; mood screen (GDS or PHQ-2); falls risk; advance care planning discussion. Type 2 diabetes risk: AUSDRISK and metabolic profile. Intellectual disability: communication needs, behaviours of concern, environmental supports. Refugees: trauma screening, infectious disease screening, immunisation catch-up, mental health.
Psychosocial domain — living arrangements, support services, social isolation risk, carer details where applicable, abuse / neglect screening where indicated.
Identified issues — list of clinical, functional, and psychosocial issues identified in the assessment.
Preventive health care management plan — documented action against each identified issue: referrals (allied health, specialist, MHTP under 2715/2717, GPCCMP under 965), follow-up consultations, lifestyle interventions, immunisations, screening programs.
Confirmation that the documentation is structured and comprehensive — not a routine consultation relabelled.

Common audit failures

Patterns the Professional Services Review scheme and Medicare audits flag.

Item 705 claimed for a consultation under 45 minutes (use 701/703 instead) or for 60 minutes or more (use 707 instead). Time-tier mismatch is the single most common 705 audit failure.
Patient does not fall within any of the eligible target groups, or the target group is not documented.
Frequency-cap breach — claiming 705 for a 75+ patient within 12 months of the previous 705/701/703/707, or for a 45–49 chronic disease assessment that has been claimed before for the same patient.
Assessment relabelled — note reads as a routine consultation (Item 23/36/44) rather than a structured comprehensive assessment with all four descriptor elements.
Cohort-specific screening missing — for 75+, no validated cognitive screen, no falls assessment, or no postural BP. For diabetes risk, no AUSDRISK score documented.
Identified issues listed without any corresponding action / referral / follow-up — fails the "preventive health care management plan" descriptor element.
Documentation does not span the four descriptor elements (history, examination, interventions, management plan).

Related MBS items

Level B GP consultation

Level C GP consultation

Level D GP consultation

965

GP Chronic Condition Management Plan — preparation

Templates that document this item

Note templates inside Grounded Scribe that produce documentation aligned to this MBS item.

Health Assessment 75+ (705)

Annual Health Assessment for patients aged 75 and over (MBS item 705 — the 45-to-<60-minute duration tier of the GP long health assessment series, applicable to seven eligible cohorts including 75+). Comprehensive review across medical, psychological, and social domains — including cognition, falls risk, continence, nutrition, social supports, and advance care planning. Builds the evidence base required for the item claim and identifies issues warranting a GPCCMP (item 965).

In-depth reading in the Library

Medicare Audit-Ready Documentation: A GP's Guide to MBS Item Number Compliance

Professional 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 Practitioners

From 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.

Item 705 on MBS Online

Keep reading