Medicare Benefits Schedule - Note IN.0.11

Multiple Services Rules

Background

There are several rules that may apply when calculating Medicare benefits payable when multiple diagnostic imaging services are provided to a patient at the same attendance (same day).  These rules were developed in association with the diagnostic imaging profession representative organisations and reflect that there are efficiencies to the provider when these services are performed on the same occasion.  Unless there are clinical reasons for doing so, they should be provided to the patient at the one attendance and the efficiencies from doing this reflected in the overall fee charged. 

General diagnostic imaging - multiples services

The diagnostic imaging multiple services rules apply to all diagnostic imaging services.  There are three rules, and more than one rule may apply in a patient episode.  The rules do not apply to diagnostic imaging services rendered in a remote area by a medical practitioner who has a remote area exemption for that area - see IN.0.6. 

Rule A.  When a medical practitioner renders two or more diagnostic imaging services to a patient on the same day, then:

• the diagnostic imaging service with the highest Schedule fee has an unchanged Schedule fee; and
• the Schedule fee for each additional diagnostic imaging service is reduced by $5. 

Rule B.  When a medical practitioner renders at least one R-type diagnostic imaging service and at least one consultation to a patient on the same day, there is a deduction to the Schedule fee for the diagnostic imaging service with the highest Schedule fee as follows:

• if the Schedule fee for the consultation is $40 or more - by $35; or
• if the Schedule fee for the consultation is less than $40 but more than $15 - by $15; or
• if the Schedule fee for the consultation is less than $15 - by the amount of that fee. 

The deduction under Rule B is made once only.  If there is more than one consultation, the consultation with the highest Schedule fee determines the deduction amount.  There is no further deduction for additional consultations. 

A 'consultation' is a service rendered under an item from Category 1 of the MBS, that is, items 1 to 10816 and 90020 to 90096. 

Rule C.  When a medical practitioner renders an R-type diagnostic imaging service and at least one non-consultation service to the same patient on the same day, the Schedule fee for the diagnostic imaging service with the highest Schedule fee is reduced by $5. 

A deduction under Rule C is made once only.  There is no further deduction for any additional medical services. 

For Rule C, a 'non-consultation' is defined as any following item from the MBS:

• Category 2, items 11000 to 12533;
• Category 3, items 13020 to 51318;
• Category 4, items 51700 to 53460;
• Cleft Lip and Palate services, items 75001 to 75854 (as specified in the 'Medicare Benefits for the treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate conditions' book.)

Pathology services are not included in Rule C. 

When both Rules B and C apply, the sum of the deductions in the Schedule fee for the diagnostic imaging service with the highest Schedule fee is not to exceed that Schedule fee. 

Ultrasound - Vascular

This rule applies to all vascular ultrasound items claimed on the same day of service ie whether performed at the same attendance by the same practitioner or at different attendances. 

Where more than one vascular ultrasound service is provided to the same patient by the same practitioner on the same date of service, the following formula applies to the Schedule fee for each service:

• 100% for the item with the greatest Schedule fee
• plus 60% for the item with the next greatest Schedule fee
• plus 50% for each other item. 

When the Schedule fee for some of the items are the same, the reduction is calculated in the following order:

• 100% for the item with the greatest Schedule fee and the lowest item number
• plus 60% for the item with the greatest Schedule fee and the second lowest item number
• plus 50% for each other item.

Note: If 2 or more Schedule fees are equally the highest, the one with the lowest item number is taken to have the higher fee e.g. item 55238 and 55280, item 55238 would be considered the highest. 

When calculating the benefit, it should be noted that despite the reduction, the collective items are treated as one service for the application of Rule A of the General Diagnostic Imaging Multiple Services rules and the patient gap. Examples can be found on the Services Australia website.

Cardiac - transthoracic and stress echocardiograms

This rule applies to all transthoracic and stress echo items claimed on the same day of service, whether performed at the same attendance by the same practitioner or at different attendances. 

Where more than one transthoracic and stress echo service is provided to the same patient by the same practitioner on the same date of service, the following formula applies to the Schedule fee for each service:

• 100% for the item with the greatest Schedule fee
• plus 60% for the item with the next greatest Schedule fee

If 2 or more Schedule fees are equally the highest, the one with the lowest item number is taken to have the higher fee. 

As for the vascular multiple services rules, the collective items are treated as one service for the application of Rule A of the General Diagnostic Imaging Multiple Services rules and the patient gap. 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Musculoskeletal

If a medical practitioner performs 2 or more scans from subgroup 12 and 13 for the same patient on the same day, the fees specified for items that apply to the service are affected as follows:

• the item with the highest schedule fee retains 100% of the schedule fee; and
• any other fee, except the highest is reduced by 50%. 

Note: If 2 or more Schedule fees are equally the highest, the one with the lowest item number is taken to have the higher fee eg. item 63322 and 63331, item 63322 would be considered the highest. 

If the reduced fee is not a multiple of 5 cents, the reduced fee is taken to be the nearest amount that is a multiple of 5 cents. 

In addition, the modifying item for contrast may only be claimed once for a group of services subject to this rule. 

If a medical practitioner provides:

• 2 or more MRI services from subgroups 12 and 13 for the same patient on the same day; and
• 1 or more other diagnostic imaging services for that patient on that day

the amount of the fees payable for the MRI services is taken, for the purposes of this rule, to be an amount payable for 1 diagnostic imaging service in applying Rule A of the General Diagnostic Imaging Multiple Services rules.
 

 

• Previous - Note IN.0.10
• Next - Note IN.0.12