Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) changes to facilitate mental health case conferences

Following a call for feedback, the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) changes to facilitate mental health case conferences for patients being treated under the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the MBS (Better Access) initiative or an eating disorder treatment and management plan (EDTMP) commenced on 1 July 2023.

There are 21 new MBS items for eligible providers to organise and coordinate or participate in case conferences to discuss a patient’s mental health care, where:

• the patient has been referred for Better Access services or has an active EDTMP,
• a GP, other medical practitioner (OMP), consultant psychiatrist or consultant paediatrician organises and coordinates the case conference,
• at least two other members of the multidisciplinary case conference team attend the case conference, and
• the patient agrees to the case conference taking place and to the participation of all practitioners in the conference.

The criteria to claim MBS items 723 and 732 (GPs), and 230 and 233 (OMPs), has also been expanded to allow GPs and OMPs to develop and review Team Care Arrangements (TCAs) for patients being treated under Better Access or an EDTMP.

Further information on the new and amended MBS items is available in explanatory note AN.0.47, AN.7.17, AN.15.1, AN.15.2, AN.7.32, MN.7.6 on MBS Online, as well as the factsheet titled ‘Mental Health Case Conferencing’ available on the MBS Online webpage at: www.mbsonline.gov.au.

The Department has advised it will continue to consider the feedback post-implementation, as part of the ongoing monitoring of these MBS items, and broader work being undertaken to reform the mental health system and respond to the Better Access evaluation.