New MBS numbers available for telehealth consultations updated on Medicare website, these are only temporary available until 30th Sep designed for COVID-19 period. Without a specific item number for Resapp-DX, I am not quite sure how hard a doctor can persuade a client to out of pocket for cough sound diagnosis. Assume the cost agreed with Coviu is $5 per use, will it be marked up by Coviu/doctor so final price is $7-10 per use? Anyone can shed some light on this @awichiu?

Temporary Telehealth Bulk-Billed Items for COVID-19

Page last updated: 27 March 2020

A number of new temporary Bulk Billing items have been created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overarching docx
Overarching pdf

GPS and OMP items docx
GPS and OMP items pdf
Nurse Practitioners docx
Nurse Practitioner pdf
Obstetric Attendance docx
Obstetric Attendance pdf
Mental Health docx
Mental Health pdf
Specialists docx
Specialist pdf
Participating Midwives.docx
Participating Midwives.pdf

Provider Frequently Asked Questions.docx
Provider Frequently Asked Questions.pdf



· From 13 March 2020 to 30 September 2020 (inclusive), new MBS telehealth items are available for services provided to vulnerable people within the community or who are in isolation due to COVID-19, and services provided by providers who are in isolation due to COVID-19, or more susceptible to COVID-19.
· The new items are available to GPs, medical practitioners, nurse practitioners, participating midwives and allied mental health providers.
· The new services must be bulk billed.

As part of the Australian Government’s response to COVID-19, 92 new items have been introduced to provide services to vulnerable people within the community or in suspect cases self-isolation due to COVID-19, and enable provision of services via telehealth where the health professional has or is identified as at risk of COVID-19.

The new items are:

· Group A40, sub-groups 1-2 and Group M18, sub-groups 5 and 10:

• - 32 new GP, non-specialist medical practitioner and nurse practitioner items

· Group A40, sub-groups 4-7:

• - 20 new specialist and consultant physician items, including for psychiatric services

· Group A40, sub-group 3 and Group M18, sub-groups 1-4:

• - 4 new psychological therapy items for clinical psychologist services; and
  - 20 new Focussed Psychological Strategies items for services provided by a psychologist, GP, non-specialist medical practitioner, occupational therapist or social worker.

· Group M19 , sub-groups 1-2:

• - 8 new midwifery items.

· Group T1 , sub-group 1:

• - 8 new obstetric attendance items.

A guide to the new items and the existing items that they relate to is attached to this factsheet.

Who is eligible?
Medicare rebates will be paid for services provided to:
- people diagnosed with COVID-19 virus who are not a patient of a hospital;
- people isolating themselves at home on the advice of a medical practitioner or in accordance with home isolation guidance issued by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC);
- people who are considered more susceptible to COVID-19, including:

• • o people aged over 70;
    o Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 50;
    o people with chronic health conditions or who are immunocompromised; and
    o parents with new babies and people who are pregnant.

- people who meet the current national triage protocol criteria for suspected COVID-19 infection.
A guide to the new items and the existing items that they relate to is attached to this factsheet.
All services provided using the new MBS items must be bulk billed. The services will be available until 30 September 2020.

What telehealth options are available?
MBS telehealth services are videoconference services and this is the preferred approach for substituting a face-to-face consultation. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providers will also be able to offer audio-only services via telephone if video is not available. There are separate items available for the audio-only services.

No specific equipment is required to provide Medicare-compliant telehealth services. Services can be provided through widely available video calling apps and software such as Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, Duo, GoToMeeting and others.

Free versions of these applications (i.e. non-commercial versions) may not meet applicable laws for security and privacy. Practitioners must ensure that their chosen telecommunications solution meets their clinical requirements and satisfies privacy laws.

Why are the changes being made?
The new MBS telehealth items will allow people to access essential health services in their homes to support self-isolation and quarantine policies and reduce risk of exposure to COVID-19 for vulnerable people in the community.

What does this mean for providers?
Medicare rebates will also be paid for services by vulnerable providers who meet the same eligibility criteria as more susceptible patients. This will allow providers greater flexibility in delivering services to patients within their care.

Providers do not need to be in their regular practice to provide telehealth services. Providers who offer their services from home isolation or quarantine should use their provider number for their primary location, and must provide safe services in accordance with normal professional standards.

The new telehealth services will substitute current face-to-face consultations that are available under the MBS. The new items will have similar requirements to normal timed consultation items.

The new telehealth services must be bulk billed, meaning MBS rebates are paid to the provider. Rebates for services provided by GPs and non-vocationally registered medical practitioners will be paid at 85% of the new item fees - these fee amounts have been increased so that the Medicare rebates paid for the new GP and medical practitioner telehealth services are at the same level as the rebates paid for the equivalent face-to-face services. (Due to the urgency of the new telehealth arrangements, the Department of Health has not been able to amend the legislation that establishes 100% rebates for GP/medical practitioner services.)

A guide to the new items and the existing items that they relate to is attached to this fact sheet.

How will these changes affect patients?
Vulnerable patients, those in isolation and those who meet testing criteria for COVID-19 who are unable to attend a medical practice in person due to the COVID-19 emergency will be able to have continued access to essential medical and health services.

The new MBS items will require providers to bulk-bill their telehealth services, so there will be no additional charge to patients. Patients are required to consent to their service being bulk-billed.

Eligible patients should ask their service providers about their telehealth options, where clinically appropriate.

Where can I find more information?
COVID-19 National Health Plan resources for the general public, health professionals and industry are available from the .

The full item descriptor(s) and information on other changes to the MBS can be found on the MBS Online website at www.mbsonline.gov.au. You can also subscribe to future MBS updates by visiting MBS Online and clicking ‘Subscribe’.

Australian Government Department of Health website