We have an important update for members relating to MBS funded Telehealth sessions, and changes to Nurse Practitioners including updates to Level E and Level B consultations, and upcoming PBS changes.
1. MBS funded Telehealth sessions
2. Changes to Nurse Practitioners for Level E and Level B consultations and upcoming PBS changes
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1. MBS funded Telehealth sessions
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has advised ACNP that from 1st November 2025, the ‘established clinical relationship’ requirement will apply to Nurse Practitioner Telehealth MBS items.
This means that Nurse Practitioner Telehealth MBS items will align with GP Telehealth MBS items where MBS rebates for Telehealth will only apply if the patient has been seen face to face in the preceding 12 months.
There are exemptions that will apply from 1st November, allowing MBS access to Nurse Practitioner Telehealth items without the ’established clinical relationship’ requirement, these include:
- Children under the age of 12 months
- People who are homeless
- Patients at an Aboriginal Medical Service or an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service
- People isolating because of a COVID-related Sate or territory public health order, or in quarantine because of a State or Territory public health order
- People affected by a natural disaster, defined as living in a local government area declared a natural disaster by a State or Territory Government.
We have already commenced discussions and we are seeking clarifications on exemptions to patient groups who are vulnerable, and we expect this to continue over the coming months, as ACNP continues to advocate for better access to health care via Telehealth.
ACNP will provide further detail in our e-Magazine In Focus and through our regular channels over the coming weeks and months. At this time, this is all the information we have.
We expect a celebratory response from the usual medical groups and medical media, as they support further restricting patient access to nurse practitioners, who often work with the most vulnerable people in Australia. As always, I recommend for your own health and wellbeing not to engage in negative dialogue, or rise to the bait. ACNP and its members are collectively focused on better access to health care for all people. Engaging with predictable negative dialogue will not achieve anything to change their views. We do acknowledge as fellow health professionals that these responses are deeply disappointing.
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2. Changes to Nurse Practitioners for Level E and Level B consultations and upcoming PBS changes
Level E consultations:
From 1st March 2025, a Level E MBS item will be available for patients of Nurse Practitioner’s, for consultations over 60 minutes. There will be a mirrored Telehealth item.
As soon as we have details on the item number and descriptor, we will share this with members.
Level B consultation change:
From 1st March 2025, there will be a new ‘floor’ on Level B MBS items, meaning that to claim Level B, there is a minimum of 8 minutes.
And … Forthcoming PBS changes:
ACNP will also provide updates as soon as we have them on expected implementation dates for the PBS changes removing the Continuing Treatment Only (CTO) PBS restrictions, and the addition of medicines for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis to the PBS for prescribing by nurse practitioners. This is part of a much larger piece of work on PBS changes between the Department of Health and the ACNP.
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Please remember to read your monthly In Focus e-magazine for key updates, and of course, we will email our members with any more significant updates as soon as they become available.
