What is the MBS?

MBS is the Medicare Benefits Schedule, a listing of item numbers that you can use as you consult your patients.  Some practices are purely bulk-billing which means that you charge these item numbers to your patient and they have no out-of-pocket fees for seeing you.  Some practices may be mixed billing which means that they will often bulk bill pensioners and concession card holders and charge a private fee for everyone else.  For those being charged a “private fee”, they can claim back the medicare amount.

This document is targeted towards Basic Registrars as you begin to master the MBS.  As a basic registrar, I often “undercharged” my patients because I only knew how to use the very basic numbers (items 3, 23, 36, 44).  But as you will see, there are many item numbers you can use to remunerate you for the work you are doing.  Some of us don’t care about money but please get paid correctly for what services you provide!

You can access the full MBS online at www9.health.gov.au/mbs/search.cfm   Please note that this document is only a guide to the MBS.  The information is current as of Nov 2007.  GPRA does not hold any responsibility for any misuse of the information provided here.

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