Technical notes

Medicare Benefits Schedule claims data

Data for the report were sourced from the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) claims data, which are managed by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. The claims data are derived from administrative information on services that qualify for a Medicare benefit under the Health Insurance Act 1973 and for which a claim has been processed by Services Australia.

When a health practitioner provides a clinically relevant service to a Medicare-eligible person, the practitioner or patient can make a claim with Medicare. Medicare will then provide a rebate, or benefit, to cover all or part of the cost of the service. For more detailed information on the MBS services and item types, see the Department of Health and Aged Care MBS Online website.

Scope of the MBS claims data

Under MBS arrangements, Medicare claims can be made by eligible persons, this includes Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent residence visas. Applicants for permanent residence may also be eligible depending on circumstances. In addition, persons from countries with which Australia has reciprocal health care agreements might also be entitled to benefits under MBS arrangements.

It is important to note that some Australian residents may obtain similar medical services through other arrangements. MBS claims data do not include:

  • services provided to patients where no MBS benefit has been processed (even if the service is eligible for a rebate)
  • services provided to public patients in hospitals
  • services subsidised by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
  • services delivered in public outpatient departments, or public accident and emergency departments
  • services for a compensable injury or illness for which the patient’s insurer or compensation agency has accepted liability
  • non-hospital services subsidised by private health insurance
  • services provided through other publicly funded programs including jurisdictional salaried GP services provided in remote outreach clinics
  • health screening services.

The MBS claims data comprise information on services claimed and processed through Services Australia. These include patient demographics; date of service provided, service provider types; the type of services provided (MBS item number); the amount of benefit paid for that service (based on the scheduled fee); and the total amount charged for the service provided. Table 12 shows how each measure is defined.

Table 12: List of measures used in the report and their calculation
Measure Calculation

Rate of patients who claimed the service (%)

Numerator: Number of patients who had at least one eligible service processed  in the reporting year for the specified service type. The unique number of patients were identified through the Patient Identification Numbers in the Medicare claim records.

Denominator: ABS ERP as at 30 June 2019.

Calculation: (Numerator ÷ denominator) x 1,000.

Age standardised rate of patients who claimed the service (%)

Numerator: Number of patients who had at least one eligible service processed in the reporting year for the specified service type. The unique number of patients were identified through the Patient Identification Numbers in the Medicare claim records.

Denominator: ABS ERP as at 30 June 2019.

Calculation: (Numerator ÷ denominator) x 1,000; age standardised to the 2001 Australian Standard Population (see Age standardised rates for further information).

No. patients

Number of patients who had at least one eligible service processed in the reporting year for the specified service type.

Totals and subtotals of patients may be less than the sum of each service group as a patient may receive more than one type of service but will be counted only once in the relevant total.

No. services

Sum of services from eligible claims for the specified service type. This does not include any bulk-billed incentive items or other top-up items.

Total Medicare benefits paid ($)

Sum of benefits paid for eligible claims for the specified service type. Results are rounded to the whole dollar. This does not include any payments associated with bulk billed incentive items or other top-up items.

Estimated Resident Population

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Estimated Resident Population (ERP) as at 30 June 2019.

Population subgroup: Remoteness

 

Remoteness is classified according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) 2016 Remoteness Areas structure based on area of residence.

Population subgroup: Socioeconomic area

Socioeconomic areas are classified according to the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD) based on area of residence defined by the ABS as of 30 June 2016.

Geographical areas

Primary Health Network (PHNs) – 31 administrative health regions established to deliver access to primary care services for patients, as well as co-ordinate with local hospitals in order to improve the overall operational efficiency of the network. The 31 geographical areas covering Australia, with boundaries, are defined by the Australian Government Department of Health (2017).

Statistical Areas Level 3 (SA3s) – 340 geographic areas covering Australia, with boundaries defined by the ABS. based on the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) 2016.

Reporting year

Data are reported by the calendar year in which the service was provided for claims processed by 30 June 2021, with the exception of the Use of review, monitoring and support services, Patterns of allied health service use and Use of other MBS services sections of the web report where data are reported by calendar year in which the service was provided for claims processed by 30 June 2020.

Disaggregation by age and sex

Measures that are disaggregated by age group and sex use the patient’s date of birth and sex as recorded at the last claim processed (for any MBS service) in the reporting year. Where multiple claims were processed on the last date of processing, age and sex was taken from the last date of service on that date of processing.

If a patient’s age was recorded as unknown or over 116, their records were excluded from the age group results. Similarly, if a patient’s sex was missing, their records were excluded from the sex group results.

Suppression of results

Consequential suppression was applied to manage confidentiality. Information about an area was suppressed (marked ‘NP – not published’) if any of the following conditions were met:

  • there were fewer than six patients or fewer than six providers in the area (SA3)—note a patient/provider was only included if they provided or received at least one service in the area
  • one provider provided more than 85% of services or two providers provided more than 90% of services
  • one patient received more than 85% of services or two patients received more than 90% of services
  • the number of attendances/services was greater than 0 but less than 20 for an area
  • the total population of an area was fewer than 1,000
  • the population of the reported age group or sex group in an area was fewer than 300.

Calculation of rates

In this publication rates are calculated using the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Estimated Resident Population (ERP) as at 30 June 2019, based on the data from the 2016 Census of Population and Housing. Issues that can arise from using the ERP to calculate rates from the MBS data include:

  • This release uses the ERP at the end of the 2018–19 financial year. As the population changes, some people may be included in the numerator (MBS data), but not the denominator (ERP), for instance a person who migrated to Australia after 30 June 2019 but who claimed a service later in 2019.
  • The ERP includes people who usually live in Australia, that is, people who have been residing in Australia for a period of 12 months or more over the last 16 months. Some temporary visitors who are not included in the ERP are able to claim Medicare services, for instance through reciprocal health care agreements. However, some residents who usually live in Australia (e.g. international students or those on working visas) are not eligible for Medicare.
  • The ERP, the official estimate of the Australian population, is produced by the ABS using a range of data sources, including the Census of Population and Housing, and births, deaths, and migration administrative data. ERP data sources are subject to non-sampling error, which may arise from inaccuracies in collecting, recording and processing data (ABS 2019).

Age standardised rates

Age-standardisation is a method used to eliminate the effect of differences in population age structures when comparing rates for different periods of time and/or different population groups. In this report, direct age standardisation has been used. Rates for all ages are age standardised to the 2001 Australian Standard Population. Age groups used for age standardisation are as follows: 0–14, 15–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65–74, 75–84, 85+.

CDM and Medicare-subsidised allied health services item numbers and descriptions

Item numbers and descriptions for the CDM and Medicare-subsidised allied health services investigated in this report are provided in Tables 13 and 14 below.

Table 13: Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) CDM items and subsidised allied health services

Item number

Item name

Description

721

Preparing a management plan for a patient who has a chronic or terminal medical condition with or without multidisciplinary care needs

Attendance by a general practitioner for preparation of a GP management plan for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 apply). See MBS online.

(See para AN.0.47 of explanatory notes to this Category).

723

Coordinating the preparation of Team Care Arrangements for a patient who has a chronic or terminal medical condition and requires ongoing care from a multidisciplinary team of at least three health or care providers

Attendance by a general practitioner to coordinate the development of team care arrangements for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 apply). See MBS online.

(See para AN.0.47 of explanatory notes to this Category).

732

Reviewing a GP Management Plan

Attendance by a general practitioner to review or coordinate a review of: (a) a GP management plan prepared by a general practitioner (or an associated general practitioner) to which item 721 applies; or (b) team care arrangements which have been coordinated by the general practitioner (or an associated general practitioner) to which item 723 applies. See MBS online.

(See para AN.0.47 of explanatory notes to this Category).
 

732

Coordinating a Review of Team Care Arrangements

Attendance by a general practitioner to review or coordinate a review of: (a) a GP management plan prepared by a general practitioner (or an associated general practitioner) to which item 721 applies; or (b) team care arrangements which have been coordinated by the general practitioner (or an associated general practitioner) to which item 723 applies. See MBS online.

(See para AN.0.47 of explanatory notes to this Category).
 

729

Contributing to a multidisciplinary care plan being prepared by another health or care provider, or to a review of such a plan

Contribution by a general practitioner to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider or a review of a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 apply). See MBS online.

(See para AN.0.47 of explanatory notes to this Category).

731

Contributing to a multidisciplinary care plan being prepared for a resident of an aged care facility, or to a review of such a plan

Contribution by a general practitioner to: (a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or to a review of such a plan prepared by such a facility; or (b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which items 735 to 758 apply). See MBS online.

(See para AN.0.47 of explanatory notes to this Category).

10950

Allied health service

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services

10951

Allied health service

Diabetes education services

10952

Allied health service

Audiology

10953

Allied health service

Exercise physiology

10954

Allied health service

Dietetics

10956

Allied health service

Mental health service

10958

Allied health service

Occupational therapy

10960

Allied health service

Physiotherapy

10962

Allied health service

Podiatry

10964

Allied health service

Chiropractic services

10966

Allied health service

Osteopathy

10968

Allied health service

Psychology

10970

Allied health service

Speech pathology

81100

Group allied health

Diabetes education—assessment for group services

81105

Group allied health

Diabetes education—group service

81120

Group allied health

Dietetics—assessment for group services

81125

Group allied health

Dietetics—group service

81110

Group allied health

Exercise physiology—assessment for group service

81115

Group allied health

Exercise physiology—group service

Table 14: Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) CDM items and subsidised allied health services telehealth items, 2020
Item name Item numbers Type Description

Preparation of a GP Management Plan (GPMP)

92024, 92055

Telehealth services (videoconference)

Telehealth attendance by a general practitioner, for preparation of a GP management plan for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758, items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 apply) See MBS online.

Telehealth attendance by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist, or consultant physician), for preparation of a GP management plan for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 of the general medical services table, or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 or items 235 to 240 in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Other Medical Practitioner) Determination 2018 apply). See MBS online.

Preparation of a GP Management Plan (GPMP)

92068, 92099

Telephone services

Phone attendance by a general practitioner, for preparation of a GP management plan for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758, items 235 to 240 or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 apply).

Telephone attendance by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician), for preparation of a GP management plan for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 of the general medical services table, or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 or items 235 to 240 in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Other Medical Practitioner) Determination 2018 apply). See MBS online.

Coordination of Team Care Arrangements (TCAs)

92025, 92056

Telehealth services (videoconference)

Telehealth attendance by a general practitioner, to coordinate the development of team care arrangements for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758, items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 apply). See MBS online.

Telehealth attendance by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician), to coordinate the development of team care arrangements for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 of the general medical services table, or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034, or items 235 to 240 in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Other Medical Practitioner) Determination 2018 apply). See MBS online.

Coordination of Team Care Arrangements (TCAs)

92069, 92100

Telephone services

Phone attendance by a general practitioner, to coordinate the development of team care arrangements for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758, or items 235 to 240 or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 apply).

Telephone attendance by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician), to coordinate the development of team care arrangements for a patient (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 of the general medical services table, or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 or items 235 to 240 in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Other Medical Practitioner) Determination 2018 apply). See MBS online.

Review of a GP Management Plan or Coordination of a Review of Team Care Arrangements

92028, 92059

Telehealth services (videoconference)

Telehealth attendance by a general practitioner to review or coordinate a review of:

(a) a GP management plan prepared by a general practitioner (or an associated general practitioner) to which item 721 of the general medical services table, or item 229 or item 92024 or 92068 applies; or

(b) team care arrangements which have been coordinated by the general practitioner (or an associated general practitioner) to which item 723 of the general medical services table, or item 230 or item 92025 or 92069 or items applies. See MBS online.

Telehealth attendance by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist, or consultant physician), to review or coordinate a review of:

(a) a GP management plan prepared by a medical practitioner (or an associated medical practitioner) to which item 229, 721 or item 229 or item 92024, 92055, 92068 or 92099 applies; or

(b) team care arrangements which have been coordinated by the medical practitioner (or an associated medical practitioner) to which item 230, 723, 92025, 92056, 92069 or 92100 applies. See MBS online.

Review of a GP Management Plan or Coordination of a Review of Team Care Arrangements

92072, 92103

Telephone services

Phone attendance by a general practitioner to review or coordinate a review of:

(a) a GP management plan prepared by a general practitioner (or an associated general practitioner) to which item 721 of the general medical services table or item 229 or items 92074 to 92078 or 92030 to 92034 or item 92024 or 92068 applies; or

(b) team care arrangements which have been coordinated by the general practitioner (or an associated general practitioner) to which item 723 of the general medical services table or item 92025 or 92069 or items applies.

Telephone attendance by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician), to review or coordinate a review of:

(a) a GP management plan prepared by a medical practitioner (or an associated medical practitioner) to which item 229, 721, 92024, 92055, 92068 or 92099 applies; or

(b) team care arrangements which have been coordinated by the medical practitioner (or an associated medical practitioner) to which item 230, 723, 92025, 92056, 92069 or 92100 applies. See MBS online.

Contribution to a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, or to a Review of a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, for a patient who is not a care recipient in a residential aged care facility

92026, 92057

Telehealth services (videoconference)

Telehealth contribution by a general practitioner, to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider or a review of a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758, items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 apply). See MBS online.

Telehealth contribution by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician), to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider or a review of a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 of the general medical services table, or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 or items 235 to 240 in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Other Medical Practitioner) Determination 2018 apply). See MBS online.

Contribution to a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, or to a Review of a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, for a patient who is not a care recipient in a residential aged care facility

92070, 92101

Telephone services

Phone contribution by a general practitioner, to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider or a review of a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758, or items 235 to 240, or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 apply).

Telephone contribution by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician), to a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider or a review of a multidisciplinary care plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which any of items 735 to 758 of the general medical services table or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 or items 235 to 240 in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Other Medical Practitioner) Determination 2018 apply). See MBS online.

Contribution to a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, or to a review of a multidisciplinary care plan, for a resident in an aged care facility

92027, 92058

Telehealth services (videoconference)

Telehealth contribution by a general practitioner, to:

(a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or to a review of such a plan prepared by such a facility; or

(b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which items 735 to 758, items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 apply). See MBS online.

Telehealth contribution by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist, or consultant physician) to:

(a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or to a review of such a plan prepared by such a facility; or

(b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which items 735 to 758 of the general medical services table, or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 or items 235 to 240 in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Other Medical Practitioner) Determination 2018 apply). See MBS online.

Contribution to a Multidisciplinary Care Plan, or to a review of a multidisciplinary care plan, for a resident in an aged care facility

92071, 92102

Telephone services

Phone contribution by a general practitioner (not including a specialist or consultant physician), to:

(a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or to a review of such a plan prepared by such a facility; or

(b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which items 735 to 758, items 235 to 240, or items 92074 to 92078 or 92030 to 92034 apply).

Telephone contribution by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist, or consultant physician), to:

(a) a multidisciplinary care plan for a patient in a residential aged care facility, prepared by that facility, or to a review of such a plan prepared by such a facility; or

(b) a multidisciplinary care plan prepared for a patient by another provider before the patient is discharged from a hospital, or to a review of such a plan prepared by another provider (other than a service associated with a service to which items 735 to 758 of the general medical services table, or items 92074 to 92078 or items 92030 to 92034 or items 235 to 240 in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Other Medical Practitioner) Determination 2018 apply). See MBS online.

Medicare-subsidised individual allied health services

93000, 93201

Telehealth services (videoconference)

Telehealth attendance by an eligible allied health practitioner if:

(a) the service is provided to a person who has:

   (i) a chronic condition; and
  (ii) complex care needs being managed by a medical practitioner (including a general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician) under a shared care plan or under both a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements or, if the person is a resident of an aged care facility, the person’s medical practitioner has contributed to a multidisciplinary care plan; and

(b) the service is recommended in the person’s Team Care Arrangements or multidisciplinary care plan as part of the management of the person’s chronic condition and complex care needs; and

(c) the person is referred to the eligible allied health practitioner by the medical practitioner using a referral form that has been issued by the Department or a referral form that contains all the components of the form issued by the Department; and

(d) the service is provided to the person individually; and

(e) the service is of at least 20 minutes duration; and

(f) after the service, the eligible allied health practitioner gives a written report to the referring medical practitioner mentioned in paragraph (c):

  (i) if the service is the only service under the referral—in relation to that service; or
  (ii) if the service is the first or last service under the referral—in relation to that service; or
  (iii) if neither subparagraph (i) nor (ii) applies but the service involves matters that the referring medical practitioner would reasonably expect to be informed of —in relation to those matters;

to a maximum of 5 services (including any services to which this item, item 93013 or any item in Part 1 of the Schedule to the Allied Health Determination applies) in a calendar year. See MBS online.

Telehealth attendance provided by a practice nurse or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner to a person with a chronic disease if:

(a) the service is provided on behalf of and under the supervision of a medical practitioner; and

(b) the person has a GP management plan, team care arrangements or multidisciplinary care plan in place and the service is consistent with the plan or arrangements. See MBS online.

Medicare-subsidised individual allied health services

93013, 93203

Telephone services

Phone attendance by an eligible allied health practitioner if:

(a) the service is provided to a person who has:

  (i) a chronic condition; and
  (ii) complex care needs being managed by a medical practitioner (including a general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician) under both a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements or, if the person is a resident of an aged care facility, the person’s medical practitioner has contributed to a multidisciplinary care plan; and

(b) the service is recommended in the person’s Team Care Arrangements or multidisciplinary care plan as part of the management of the person’s chronic condition and complex care needs; and

(c) the person is referred to the eligible allied health practitioner by the medical practitioner using a referral form that has been issued by the Department or a referral form that contains all the components of the form issued by the Department; and

(d) the service is provided to the person individually; and

(e) the service is of at least 20 minutes duration; and

(f) after the service, the eligible allied health practitioner gives a written report to the referring medical practitioner mentioned in paragraph (c):

  (i) if the service is the only service under the referral—in relation to that service; or
  (ii) if the service is the first or last service under the referral—in relation to that service; or
  (iii) if neither subparagraph (i) nor (ii) applies but the service involves matters that the referring medical practitioner would reasonably expect to be informed of —in relation to those matters;

to a maximum of 5 services (including any services to which this item, item 93000 or any item in Part 1 of the Schedule to the Allied Health Determination applies) in a calendar year. See MBS online.

Phone attendance provided by a practice nurse or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner to a person with a chronic disease if:

(a) the service is provided on behalf of and under the supervision of a medical practitioner; and

(b) the person has a GP management plan, team care arrangements or multidisciplinary care plan in place and the service is consistent with the plan or arrangements. See MBS online.

Dietetic services- Assessment for group services

93284

Telehealth services (videoconference)

Telehealth attendance by an eligible dietitian to provide a dietetics health service to a person for assessing the person’s suitability for group services for the management of type 2 diabetes, including taking a comprehensive patient history, identifying an appropriate group services program based on the patient’s needs and preparing the person for the group services if:

(a) the person has type 2 diabetes; and

(b) the person is being managed by a medical practitioner (including a general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician) under a GP management plan or, if the person is a resident of an aged care facility, the person’s medical practitioner has contributed to a multidisciplinary care plan; and

(c) the person is referred to an eligible dietitian by the medical practitioner using a referral form that has been issued by the Department, or a referral form that contains all the components of the form issued by the Department; and

(d) the service is provided to the person individually; and

(e) the service is of at least 45 minutes duration; and

(f) after the service, the eligible dietitian gives a written report to the referring medical practitioner mentioned in paragraph (c);

payable once in a calendar year for this or any other assessment for group services item (including services to which this item, item 92386, or items 81100, 81110 and 81120 of the Allied Health Determination apply). See MBS online.

Dietetic services- Assessment for group services

93286

Telephone services

Phone attendance by an eligible dietitian to provide a dietetics health service to a person for assessing the person’s suitability for group services for the management of type 2 diabetes, including taking a comprehensive patient history, identifying an appropriate group services program based on the patient’s needs and preparing the person for the group services if:

(a) the person has type 2 diabetes; and

(b) the person is being managed by a medical practitioner (including a general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician) under a GP management plan or, if the person is a resident of an aged care facility, the person’s medical practitioner has contributed to a multidisciplinary care plan; and

(c) the person is referred to an eligible dietitian by the medical practitioner using a referral form that has been issued by the Department, or a referral form that contains all the components of the form issued by the Department; and

(d) the service is provided to the person individually; and

(e) the service is of at least 45 minutes duration; and

(f) after the service, the eligible dietitian gives a written report to the referring medical practitioner mentioned in paragraph (c);

payable once in a calendar year for this or any other assessment for group services item (including services to which this item, item 92384, or in items 81100, 81110 and 81120 of the Allied Health Determination apply). See MBS online.

Dietetics service-group service

93285

Telehealth services (videoconference)

Telehealth attendance by an eligible dietitian to provide a dietetics health service, as a group service for the management of type 2 diabetes if:

(a) the person has been assessed as suitable for a type 2 diabetes group service under assessment items 81100, 81110 or 81120 of the Allied Health Determination or items 93284 or 93286; and

(b) the service is provided to a person who is part of a group of between 2 and 12 patients; and

(c) the service is of at least 60 minutes duration; and

(d) after the last service in the group services program provided to the person under this item or items 81105, 81115 or 81125 of the Allied Health Determination, the eligible dietitian prepares, or contributes to, a written report to be provided to the referring medical practitioner; and

(e) an attendance record for the group is maintained by the eligible dietitian;

to a maximum of 8 group services in a calendar year (including services to which this item or items 81105, 81115 and 81125 of the Allied Health Determination apply). See MBS online.

Dietetics service-group service
 

N/A

Telephone services

N/A

Cohorts used in this report

Several sections of this report use cohorts to address specific aspects of CDM and Medicare-subsidised individual allied health service use. These cohorts were designed as follows:

Use of review, monitoring and support services

This analysis involved a cohort of patients who had a GPMP or TCA established between 1 January 2019 and 30 March 2019 (N = 813,174) and explored their use of the review and support items for the subsequent 12 months (see Figure 27).

Figure 27: Cohort design for use of review, monitoring and support services analysis

This diagram shows the cohort design for use of review, monitoring and support services analysis

Note: DOS refers to date of service.

Patterns of allied health service use: patients who did not use any allied health services

This analysis involved patients who had TCAs coordinated in the 12-month period between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2019 (N = 870,333) and explored the number of patients who did not claim any Medicare-subsidised individual allied health services (See Figure 28).

Figure 28: Cohort design for patterns of allied health service use: patients who did not use any allied health services analysis

This diagram shows cohort design for patterns of allied health service use for patients who did not use any allied health services analysis

Note: DOS refers to date of service.

Patterns of allied health service use: number of allied health services used by patients

This analysis involved patients who had claimed at least one Medicare-subsidised individual allied health service in the 12-month period between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2019 (N = 2,412,608) and explored the number of allied health services used by these patients (See Figure 29).

Figure 29: Cohort design for patterns of allied health service use: number of allied health services used by patients’ analysis

This diagram shows the cohort design for patterns of allied health service use for the number of allied health services used by patients’ analysis

Note: DOS refers to date of service.

Use of other MBS services

This analysis involved patients who had claimed a GPMP or TCAs in the 12-month period between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2019 (N = 2,891,201 and N = 2,458,750, respectively) and explored their use of other MBS services, including GP attendance, specialist attendance, GP mental health treatment plans, asthma cycles of care, diabetes cycles of care and home medicines reviews (See Figure 30).

Figure 30: Cohort design for use of other MBS services analysis

This diagram shows the cohort design for use of other MBS services analysis

Note: DOS refers to date of service.