Medicare Benefits Schedule - Item 699

Professional attendance for a heart health assessment by a general practitioner at consulting rooms lasting at least 20 minutes and must include:

(a) collection of relevant information, including taking a patient history that is aimed at identifying cardiovascular disease risk factors, including diabetes status, alcohol intake, smoking status and blood glucose;
(b) a physical examination, which must include recording of blood pressure and cholesterol status;
(c) initiating interventions and referrals to address the identified risk factors;
(d) implementing a management plan for appropriate treatment of identified risk factors;
(e) providing the patient with preventative health care advice and information, including modifiable lifestyle factors;

with appropriate documentation.

Claimable once only in a 12 month period. The heart health assessment item cannot be claimed if a patient has had a health assessment service (items 701, 703, 705, 707, 715) in the previous 12 months.

Fee: $75.05 Benefit: 100% = $75.05

(See para AN.14.2 of explanatory notes to this Category)

Extended Medicare Safety Net Cap: $225.15

• Previous - Item 600
• Next - Item 701

Item 699 will support patients with cardiovascular disease, or patients at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, to access the heart health assessment through a doctor in general practice.

The item will fund a heart health assessment, lasting at least 20 minutes, by a general practitioner (699). The new item will provide patients with a comprehensive assessment of their cardiovascular health, identification of any physical or lifestyle-related risks to their cardiovascular health, and a comprehensive preventive health care plan to improve their cardiovascular health.

The heart health assessment item can be claimed once per patient in a 12 month period. The heart health assessment items cannot be claimed if a patient has had a health assessment service in the previous 12 months.

 The intention of this item is to identify cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people not known to have CVD including:

(a) Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander persons who are aged 30 years and above;

(b) Adults aged 45 years and above.

The absolute cardiovascular disease risk must be calculated as per the Australian Absolute Cardiovascular Disease Risk Calculator which can viewed at ‘http://www.cvdcheck.org.au/calculator/’.

A general practitioner may use the National Vascular Disease Prevention Alliance 'Australian Guidelines for the Management of Absolute Cardiovascular Disease Risk' or the NACCHO/RACGP 'National Guide to a Preventative Assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People' to complete this assessment.

Health assessments are not available to people who are in-patients of a hospital or care recipients in a residential aged care facility (with the exception of a comprehensive medical assessment provided to a permanent resident of a residential aged care facility).

Before a health assessment is commenced, the patient (and/or the patient's parent(s), carer or representative, as appropriate) must be given an explanation of the health assessment process and its likely benefits. The patient must be asked whether they consent to the health assessment being performed. In cases where the patient is not capable of giving consent, consent must be given by the patient's parent(s), carer or representative. Consent to the health assessment must be noted in the patient's records.

A health assessment may only be claimed by a general practitioner.

A health assessment should generally be undertaken by the patient's 'usual doctor'. For the purpose of the health assessment items, 'usual doctor' means the general practitioner, or a general practitioner working in the medical practice, which has provided the majority of primary health care to the patient over the previous twelve months and/or will be providing the majority of care to the patient over the next twelve months.

A health assessment should not take the form of a health screening service.

A copy of the Health Assessment must be retained for a period of 2 years after the date of service.

MBS health assessment items 699, 701, 703, 705, 707 must be provided by a general practitioner personally attending upon a patient. Suitably qualified health professionals, such as practice nurses or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, employed and/or otherwise engaged by a general practice or health service, may assist general practitioners in performing health assessments. Such assistance must be provided in accordance with accepted medical practice and under the supervision of the general practitioner. This may include activities associated with:

·         information collection; and

·         providing patients with information about recommended interventions at the direction of the general practitioner.

The general practitioner should be satisfied that the assisting health professional has the necessary skills, expertise and training to collect the information required for the health assessment.

General practitioners should not conduct a separate consultation for another health-related issue in conjunction with a health assessment unless it is clinically necessary (ie. the patient has an acute problem that needs to be managed separately from the assessment). The only exception is the comprehensive medical assessment, where, if this health assessment is undertaken during the course of a consultation for another purpose, the health assessment item and the relevant item for the other consultation may both be claimed.

Items 699, 701, 703, 705 and 707 do not apply for services that are provided by any other Commonwealth or State funded services. However, where an exemption under subsection 19(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 has been granted to an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service or State/Territory Government health clinic, items 699, 701, 703, 705 and 707 can be claimed for services provided by general practitioners salaried by or contracted to, the Service or health clinic. All other requirements of the items must be met.

Item 10990 or 10991 (bulk billing incentives) can be claimed in conjunction with any health assessment, provided the conditions of item.

Related Items: 699