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Medicare Telehealth Items for GPs

 GPs can now claim Medicare telehealth benefits in 4 ways

MBS Item Number

Revenue

(Medicare Benefit)

Revenue with Regional/Remote

Bulk Billing Incentive (10991)

Duration

1. Drought Communities Programme (DCP)

  • Telehealth consultation providing mental health services to drought-affected communities
  • GP must be located in regions belonging to DCP in Modified Monash Model areas 3-7
  • Patient must be located at least 15km by road from GP at time of appointment
  • An existing relationship between GP and patient must be present
  • Admitted hospital or hospital in the home patients not eligible 

No extra training is needed to provide these services

 2121   $37.60 $47.10 <20 minutes
2150  $72.80  $82.30 20-40 minutes
 2196  $107.15  $116.65 >40 minutes

2. GP Focussed Psychological Strategies (since 1 Nov 2018) under the Better Access Scheme

  • Telehealth consultation for providing focussed psychological strategies 
  • GPs must undergo training and be approved as a Focussed Psychological Strategy provider
  • Patients must be in telehealth eligible area (Modified Monash Model 4-7)
  • Patients must be located at least 15 km by road from GP at time of appointment
  • Admitted hospital or hospital in the home patients not eligible 
 2729  $92.75  $102.25

 30-40 minutes

 2731 $132.75   $142.25

≥ 40 minutes

3. Telehealth Services Provided by GPs and Non-Specialist Medical Practitioners to Patients in Rural and Remote Areas

People  living in rural and remote communities will be able to request a video consultation with their doctor, if they:

  • are not an admitted patient; and
  • are living in a MMM 6 or 7 area; and
  • have received three face-to-face professional attendances in the preceding twelve months from the practitioner who will provide the telehealth service; and
  • at the time of the consultation, be at least 15 kilometres by road from the practitioner.

The first four items are for General Practitioners:

 2461 (equivalent to 3)  $17.50   <5 minutes
 2463 (equivalent to 23)  $38.20   5-20 minutes
 2464 (equivalent to 36)  $73.95   20-40 minutes
 2465 (equivalent to 44)  $108.85   >40 minutes

The next four items are for non-specialist medical practitioners (GP, Specialist, Consultant Physician) in Modified Monash Model (MMM) area 1:

 2471 (equivalent to 52)  $11.00   <5 minutes
 2472 (equivalent to 53)  $21.00   5-25 minutes
 2475 (equivalent to 54)  $38.00   25-45 minutes
 2478 (equivalent to 57)  $61.00   >45 minutes

The final four items are for non-specialist medical practitioners (GP, Specialist, Consultant Physician) in Modified Monash Model (MMM) areas 2-7:

 2480  $14.00   <5 minutes
 2481  $30.55   5-25 minutes
 2482  $59.15   25-45 minutes
 2483  $87.10   >45 minutes

4. Telehealth Patient-end Support Services

For patients in telehealth eligible areas OR patients of Aboriginal Medical Service/Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service :

  • GP is alongside patient at consulting rooms whilst participating in telehealth consultation with specialist   
  • Patient must either be located in a telehealth eligible area or be a patient of an Aboriginal Medical Service/Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service 
  • Patient must be located at least 15 kilometres by road from specialist 
  • Admitted hospital or hospital in the home patients not eligible 
 2100  $22.90  $32.40 <5 minutes
 2126 $49.95   $59.45 5-20 minutes
 2143 $96.85  $106.35  20-40 minutes
 2195 $142.50   $152  ≥40 minutes

For patients in residential care services:

  • GP is alongside patient in residential care service whilst participating in telehealth consultation with specialist
  • Patients in self-contained units not eligible
 2125  

First 6 patients: $22.90 + ($46.70/number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $22.90 + ($3.30 x number of patients seen)

First 6 patients: $32.40 +  ($46.70/number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $32.40 + ($3.30 x number of patients seen)

 

 ≥5 minutes
 2138  

First 6 patients: $49.95 + ($46.70/number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $49.95 + ($3.30 x number of patients seen)

First 6 patients: $59.45 + ($46.70/number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $59.45 + ($3.30 x number of patients seen)

<20 minutes

 2179

First 6 patients: $96.85 + ($46.70/number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $96.85 + ($3.30 x number of patients seen)

 

First 6 patients: $106.35 + ($46.70/number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $106.35 + ($3.30 x number of patients seen)


≥ 20 minutes 

 2220  

 First 6 patients: $142.50 + ($46.70/number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $142.50 + ($3.30 x number of patients seen)

First 6 patients: $152 + ($46.70/number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $152 + ($3.30 x number of patients seen

≥40 minutes

Home visits for telehealth eligible patients:

  • GP is alongside patient at home whilst participating in telehealth consultation with specialist 
  • Patient must be located in telehealth eligible area
  • Patient must be at least 15 kilometres by road from specialist
  • Patient must not be admitted to a hospital or hospital in the home service
  • Patient must not be a care recipient in a residential care service
 2122  

First 6 patients: $22.90 + ($25.95/ number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $22.90 + ($2.00 x number of patients seen)

First 6 patients: $32.40 + ($25.95/ number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $32.40 + ($2.00 x number of patients seen)

 ≥5 minutes
 2137

First 6 patient: $49.95 + ($25.95/ number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $49.95 + ($2.00 x number of patients seen)

 

First 6 patient: $59.45 + ($25.95/ number of patients seen)

or

7+ patients: $59.45 + ($2.00 x number of patients seen)

<2o minutes
 2147

First 6 patients: $96.85 + ($25.95/no. patients seen)

7+ patients: $96.85 + ($2.00 x no. patients seen)

 

 

First 6 patients: $106.35 + ($25.95/no. patients seen)

7+ patients: $106.35 + ($2.00 x no. patients seen)

 ≥ 20 minutes

 2199

 First 6 patients: $142.50 + ($25.95/ number of patients seen)

7+ patients: $142.50 + ($2.00 x number of patients seen)

 

First 6 patients: $152 + ($25.95/ number of patients seen)

7+ patients: $152 + ($2.00 x number of patients seen)

  ≥40 minutes

 

Bulk Billing Incentive: 

Item numbers 10990 or 10991 may be billed in conjunction with any of these telehealth numbers. 

10990 - Revenue = $6.30

Unreferred service, patient under 16 or Commonwealth concession card holder, not an admitted patient. 

10991 - Revenue = $9.50

Unreferred service, patient under 16 or Commonwealth concession card holder, not an admitted patient and service provided in an eligible regional, rural or remote area. 

In addition, the recent MBS review is proposing the extension of existing telehealth MBS items for rural GPs to use with their own patients (MBS items 99, 82220, 8222182222).

 

Have you tried private billing? Significant additions to your revenue stream await you.

Outside of Medicare, patients are paying privately for telehealth services. You can diversify your practice and offer consults in your own private, branded virtual clinic. Off the top of your head, you can likely come up with many services that are perfect for private telehealth, such as:

- Medical certificates
- Prescriptions
- Referrals
- Pathology requests
- Radiology requests

How to get started?

We're from Coviu, a CSIRO telehealth company, created for clinicians with clinicians.

We can get you up and running in 10 minutes. It's easy and we care about the way you work, so we are integrating with your practice management software. 

Find the right plan for your practice

Let us help you turn telehealth into a sustainable new income source for your practice so you can help your patients where they are and when they need it.