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Grounded Scribe
Reference only — not billing advice

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 27 April 2026.

  • Better Access
  • Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (eligible under Better Access)

Item 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.

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

  • TimeAt least 60 minutes
  • FrequencyNot capped
  • ReferralRequired
  • ProfessionAccredited Mental Health Social Worker (eligible under Better Access)

Requirements to bill

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

  1. Each patient in the group must have a current Better Access referral.
  2. Provider must be an eligible accredited mental health social worker.
  3. Group size 4 to 10 patients, in person, at least 60 minutes.
  4. Each session counts toward the patient's annual Better Access group cap (10 group sessions per calendar year).

Your notes must show

Documentation tests — what clinical notes need to record to match what the item asks.

  • Date, start time, end time, location, and item number claimed.
  • Number of patients in attendance, facilitator(s).
  • Session topic and the focussed psychological strategy delivered.
  • Per-member: attendance, participation, response, risk concerns flagged.
  • Group-level dynamics and any incidents.
  • Reference to each member's MHTP goals.

Common audit failures

Patterns the Professional Services Review scheme and Medicare audits flag.

  • Session under 60 minutes.
  • Per-member attendance not recorded.
  • Per-member files contain identifying information about other members.
  • No reference to MHTP goals.
  • Group size below 4 or above 10.

Related MBS items

Diagnostic codes commonly billed under this item

ICD-10-AM diagnoses whose Medicare pathway includes this item. Click through to the diagnostic-code reference for differential codes and clinical context.

Templates that document this item

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

In-depth reading in the Library

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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