Medicare Benefits Schedule - Note MN.8.4

Eligible allied health professionals

Items 81000, 81005 and 81010 can only be claimed for services provided by psychologists, social workers and mental health nurses who meet the following specific eligibility requirements, and are registered with the Department of Human Services.

To be eligible to provide services using MBS Item 81000, a psychologist must hold general registration in the health profession of psychology under the applicable law in force in the State or Territory in which the service is provided and be certified by the Australian Psychological Society as appropriately trained in non-directive pregnancy counselling.

To be eligible to provide services using MBS Item 81005, a social worker must be a 'Member' of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), be certified by AASW either as meeting the standards for mental health set out in the document published by AASW titled ‘Practice Standards for Mental Health Social Workers 2014’ as in force on 25 September 2014 or as an Accredited Social Worker, and have completed appropriate non-directive pregnancy counselling training;

To be eligible to provide services using MBS Item 81010, a mental health nurse must be a 'Credentialled Mental Health Nurse' as certified by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, and have completed appropriate non-directive pregnancy counselling training.

Registering with the Department of Human Services

Advice about registering with the Department of Human Services to provide non-directive pregnancy support counselling services using items 81000-81010 inclusive is available from the Department of Human Services provider inquiry line on 132 150.

Further information

A copy of the Medicare Allied Health Supplement can be accessed from www.health.gov.au/mbsonline.  The Supplement includes more information about Medicare, including how to make a claim from Medicare.

Further information is also available for providers from the Department of Human Services provider inquiry line on 132 150.

Related Items: 81000 81005 81010

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Provision of a non-directive pregnancy support counselling service to a person who is currently pregnant or who has been pregnant in the preceding 12 months, by an eligible psychologist, where the patient is referred to the psychologist by a medical practitioner (including a general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician), and lasting at least 30 minutes. The service may be used to address any pregnancy related issues for which non-directive counselling is appropriate.

This service may be provided by a psychologist who is registered with Medicare Australia as meeting the credentialling requirements for provision of this service.  It may not be provided by a psychologist who has a direct pecuniary interest in a health service that has as its primary purpose the provision of services for pregnancy termination.

To a maximum of three non-directive pregnancy support counselling services per patient, per pregnancy from any of the following items -81000, 81005, 81010 and 4001

Fee: $77.30 Benefit: 85% = $65.75

(See para MN.8.1, MN.8.2, MN.8.3, MN.8.4 of explanatory notes to this Category)

Provision of a non-directive pregnancy support counselling service to a person who is currently pregnant or who has been pregnant in the preceding 12 months, by an eligible social worker, where the patient is referred to the social worker by a medical practitioner (including a general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician), and lasting at least 30 minutes. The service may be used to address any pregnancy related issues for which non-directive counselling is appropriate.

This service may be provided by a social worker who is registered with Medicare Australia as meeting the credentialling requirements for provision of this service.  It may not be provided by a social worker who has a direct pecuniary interest in a health service that has as its primary purpose the provision of services for pregnancy termination.

To a maximum of three non-directive pregnancy support counselling services per patient, per pregnancy from any of the following items -81000, 81005, 81010 and 4001

Fee: $77.30 Benefit: 85% = $65.75

(See para MN.8.1, MN.8.2, MN.8.3, MN.8.4 of explanatory notes to this Category)

Provision of a non-directive pregnancy support counselling service to a person who is currently pregnant or who has been pregnant in the preceding 12 months, by an eligible mental health nurse, where the patient is referred to the mental health nurse by a medical practitioner (including a general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician), and lasting at least 30 minutes. The service may be used to address any pregnancy related issues for which non-directive counselling is appropriate.

This service may be provided by a mental health nurse who is registered with Medicare Australia as meeting the credentialling requirements for provision of this service.  It may not be provided by a mental health nurse who has a direct pecuniary interest in a health service that has as its primary purpose the provision of services for pregnancy termination.

To a maximum of three non-directive pregnancy support counselling services per patient, per pregnancy from any of the following items - 81000, 81005, 81010 and 4001

Fee: $77.30 Benefit: 85% = $65.75

(See para MN.8.1, MN.8.2, MN.8.3, MN.8.4 of explanatory notes to this Category)