They’re back — Medicare to restore nine items for specialist phone consults after doctors’ campaign
The items lapsed three years ago but from 1 November are back online across a range of specialties.
The Federal Government is restoring nine Medicare items for follow-up phone appointments with specialists after years of campaigning by doctors.
The nine items are equivalent to existing video or in-person attendance items, including item 116 for a subsequent appointment with a consultant physician and item 143 for a review of a management plan by a geriatrician lasting 30 minutes or longer (full details below).
Medical colleges have called for the restoration of phone items since the government let many of them lapse three years ago.
A 2024 MBS Review Advisory Committee report said it was “self-evident” that video was preferable to phone consultations, but nonetheless called for these nine items to be restored.
