Medicare Benefits Schedule - Item 10987

Follow‑up service, to a maximum of 10 services per patient in a calendar year, provided by a practice nurse or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner, on behalf of a medical practitioner, for an Indigenous person who has received a health check if:

(a) the service is provided on behalf of and under the supervision of a medical practitioner; and

(b) the person is not an admitted patient of a hospital; and

(c) the service is consistent with the needs identified through the health assessment.

Fee: $28.70 Benefit: 100% = $28.70

(See para AN.14.3, MN.12.3, MN.12.6 of explanatory notes to this Category)

Extended Medicare Safety Net Cap: $86.10

• Previous - Item 10983
• Next - Item 10988

Publication date: 1 November 2025 

SUMMARY 

This note sets out the requirements for health assessment services for eligible patients experiencing signs or symptoms relating to menopause or perimenopause.
  
USE OF THE ITEMS 

Health assessment items are used to assess eligible patients’ health and physical, psychological and social function. This includes the medical practitioner’s consideration of whether relevant health care and education should be offered to the patient to improve their health or function.
 
The specific requirements of the menopause and perimenopause health assessment are set out in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Menopause and Perimenopause Health Assessment Services) Determination 2025 (the Determination) and the Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations). 

The Determination requires that a menopause and perimenopause health assessment must include, but is not limited to: 

• collection of relevant information, including taking a patient history to determine pre-, peri- or post-menopausal status, patient wellbeing and contraindications for management; and 
  
  
• a basic physical examination, including recording blood pressure, and review of height and weight; and
  
  
• initiating investigations and referrals as clinically indicated, with consideration given to the need for cervical screening, mammography and bone densitometry; and 
  
  
• discussion of management options including non-pharmacological and pharmacological strategies including risks and benefits; and
  
  
• implementing a management plan which includes patient centred symptoms management; and 
  
  
• providing the patient with preventative health care advice and information as clinically indicated, including advice on physical activity, smoking cessation, alcohol consumption, nutritional intake and weight management.  

The items apply only to a service provided in the course of a personal attendance by a single general practitioner (GP) or prescribed medical practitioner (PMP) on a single patient.
  
Information on practitioner types is available in Note GN.4.13 for GPs and AN.7.1 for PMPs. 

Medical practitioners may refer to A Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause for guidance with this assessment.

Is a health assessment a health screening service? 

No. Clause 2.15.14 of the Regulations specifies that a health assessment must not include a screening service.
 
The Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) defines a health screening service as a medical examination or test that is not reasonably required for the management of the medical condition of the patient.

A health screening service does not include a medical examination or a test on a symptomless patient by the that patient’s own medical practitioner in the course of normal medical practice, to ensure the patient receives any medical advice or treatment necessary to maintain their state of health. 

Further information is available in Note GN.13.33. 

Can another person assist the medical practitioner to undertake the health assessment? 

Yes. Clause 2.15.14 of the Regulations states that practice nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners may assist in accordance with accepted medical practice under the supervision of the medical practitioner. 

Assistance provided must be in accordance with accepted medical practice and under the supervision of the GP or PMP. This may include activities associated with: 

• information collection, and 
  
  
• providing patients with information about recommended interventions, at the direction of the medical practitioner. 

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

MBS items for Health Assessments are for a complete service. On behalf of items, such as item 10997 and 10987, may not be claimed when assisting with the provision of a health assessment service. 

Additional advice on the use of other health professionals’ time when undertaking health assessments can be found in the AskMBS Advisory – General Practice Services 1. 

A Practice nurse means a registered or an enrolled nurse who is employed by, or whose services are otherwise retained by, a general practice or by a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the Act applies.

For the purpose of items 695 and 19000, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner means a person who:

• is registered as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia, and
  
  
• is employed by, or whose services are otherwise retained by, a medical practitioner in a general practice, or a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the Act applies. 

For the purpose of items 695 and 19000, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker means a person who:

• has a Certificate III or above in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care from the Health (HLT) training package, and 
  
  
• is engaged by a medical practitioner in a general practice or a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the Act applies. 

Can a patient be eligible for more than one category of health assessment?

Where eligible, a patient may receive both a menopause and perimenopause health assessment service and a separate time tiered or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessment service (for example, a Type 2 diabetes risk evaluation). There is no minimum interval of time between the provision of the different health assessments. 

Attendance time for the completion of a health assessment service cannot be billed under multiple items. Practitioners are required to satisfy themselves that they have met the requirements of each individual MBS item descriptor prior to billing.  

Information on MBS time-tiered health assessment services is available at AN.0.36.

Can I include additional time required for communications (e.g. with an interpreter) in the time taken for the health assessment?

Yes, a wide range of factors may affect the time needed to communicate effectively with a patient during a consultation. These include, but are not limited to, situations where a language barrier exists between the medical practitioner and patient (including when an interpreter is required), or when a patient has hearing problems, difficulty with speech, an intellectual disability, and/or dementia.

When claiming MBS items with time requirements, the total consultation time includes the time required to communicate effectively with the patient. Where more time than usual is required to communicate effectively with a particular patient, it is considered reasonable to claim a longer attendance item than might otherwise be expected for the service. 

In such situations, medical practitioners should make a brief record in the patient’s notes including details about why the additional time was required. For example, stating ‘consultation extended due to use of interpreter’ and, if relevant, citing the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) job number. 

ELIGIBLE PATIENTS 

Any patient who is eligible to receive Medicare benefits, has not received this service in the previous 12-month period, and is experiencing premature ovarian insufficiency, early menopause, perimenopause or menopause symptoms, or undergoing treatment for their symptoms.

ELIGIBLE PRACTITIONERS 

Health assessment items are available for different practitioner types: 

• the GP item 695 can be claimed by GPs only (see GN.4.13). 
  
  
• the PMP item 19000 can be claimed by PMPs only (see AN.7.1). 

Note: Clause 2.15.14 of the Regulations specifies patients must access health assessment services through their usual GP or PMP, if reasonably practicable. 

The patient’s usual GP or PMP means the practitioner: 

• who has provided the majority of services to the patient in the past 12 months, or
  
  
• who is likely to provide the majority of services to the patient in the following 12 months, or 
  
  
• is located at a medical practice that: 
  
  
  • has provided the majority of services to the patient in the past 12 months, or
    
    
  • is likely to provide the majority of services to the patient in the next 12 months. 

CO-CLAIMING RESTRICTIONS 

Clause 2.15.14 of the Regulations specifies a separate consultation must not be performed in conjunction with a health assessment, unless clinically necessary. 

RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 

Providers are responsible for ensuring services claimed from Medicare using their provider number meet all legislative requirements and they may be required to submit evidence for compliance checks related to Medicare claims. Practitioners should ensure they keep adequate and contemporaneous records. For information on what constitutes adequate and contemporaneous records see GN.15.39. 

Clause 4.3 of the Act specifies that, where an item specifies the creation of a document (however described) and a document is created, the document must be retained for the period of 2 years. 

RELEVANT LEGISLATION 

Details about the legislative requirements of the MBS items can be found on the Federal Register of Legislation at www.legislation.gov.au. Menopause and perimenopause health assessment items are set out in the following regulatory instruments: 

• Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Menopause and Perimenopause Health Assessment Services) Determination 2025 
  
  
• Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021 

Related Items: 695 10987 10997 19000

Publication date: 1 July 2026

SUMMARY

This note outlines the requirements for items 10987 (face to face), 93200 (video) and 93202 (telephone) for the provision of follow up services provided by a practice nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner, on behalf of a medical practitioner, for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person who has received a health assessment (see AN.0.36 or AN.0.43).

This service may be claimed up to a maximum of 10 times per eligible patient per calendar year (1 January to 31 December).

USE OF THE ITEMS

Note: The requirements in this note must be met in addition to the requirements for ‘on behalf of’ items contained in associated note MN.12.6.

These items are intended for ongoing care, monitoring and support consistent with the patient’s health assessment. The services are provided by a practice nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner on behalf of and under the supervision of a medical practitioner.

What types of services can be provided?

Any services provided to the patient using these items must be consistent with the needs of the patient identified in their health assessment(s).

Services delivered by the health practitioner must be within the accepted scope of practice of the health practitioner, in accordance with accepted medical practice and delivered under the supervision of the medical practitioner.

A practice nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner is assisting in completing the health assessment. Can I use items 10987, 93200, 93202 for their time?

No. Health assessment items (see AN.0.36 and AN.0.43) are complete medical services and provide the full MBS benefit for the services.

Time spent by practice nurses or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners in assisting medical practitioners with health assessments can be counted towards the total time taken for the health assessment. However, assistance with the health assessment item cannot be itemised as an additional service e.g. under item 10987.

Are the follow up services (MSB items 10987, 93200, 9320) available only to patients who have received an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Assessment (item 715, 228, 92004 and 92011)?

No. Patients who are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent are eligible for follow up services after any MBS health assessment service, where the follow up service is consistent with the needs identified through the health assessment. See AN.0.36 and AN.0.43 for more information on eligible health assessment services.

My patient has a GP chronic condition management plan and is of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. Can they access MBS items 10987, 93200 or 93202 without undertaking a health assessment?

No. A GP chronic condition management plan does not provide access to items 10987, 93200 or 93202. These items are only available for eligible patients who have received a health assessment.

Note: MBS items 10997, 93201 or 93203 (services provided by a practice nurse or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner to a person with a chronic condition) may be appropriate to bill in these circumstances, where the requirements of the billed item have been met. Further information on these items is available in MN.12.4.

Are there similar items where my patient has a GP chronic condition management plan and is of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent?

Patients of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent may access up to 10 individual allied health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing services each calendar year, where:

• the need for the individual health and wellbeing services has been identified in the patient’s health assessment; and/or
• where the patient has been referred for individual health and wellbeing services under a Chronic Conditions Management plan.

See MN.11.1 for further information on individual allied health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing services.

If my patient has received more than one type of health assessment in a calendar year, are they eligible for more than 10 follow up services provided on behalf of a medical practitioner (10987, 93200 and 93202)?

No. Patients can receive a maximum of 10 follow up services delivered on behalf of a medical practitioner each calendar year, regardless of whether they have had more than one health assessment.

My patient only used 7 services last year. Can my patient access the remaining 3 services, as well as another 10 services, this year?

No, unused services do not rollover. Patients are only eligible for up to a maximum of 10 services per calendar year (1 January to 31 December).

Can my patient access more services by using both face to face and telehealth items, or by seeing both a practice nurse and an Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island health practitioner?

No, patients are eligible for a maximum of 10 follow up services in total per calendar year (1 January to 31 December). The 10 services can be made up of any combination of item 10987, 93200, and 93202.

ELIGIBLE PATIENTS

These items are available for patients who identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, who are not admitted patients of a hospital and have received a health assessment which identifies their need for follow up services.

Patients are eligible for up to 10 services (total) under these items each calendar year (1 January to 31 December). The service provided must be consistent with needs identified through their health assessment(s).

ELIGIBLE PRACTITIONERS

These items are medical practitioner items. The services are delivered by either a practice nurse or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner on behalf of, and under the supervision of, a medical practitioner. The medical practitioner must claim the MBS item and retain responsibility for the health, safety and clinical outcomes for the patient.

The practice nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner delivering the service on behalf of the medical practitioner must be appropriately qualified and trained to deliver the follow up service.

The Health Insurance Act 1973 requires the person rendering the service to be in Australia. As the medical practitioner’s Medicare provider number is used to claim the service, they are considered to be the person who renders the service.

Information on supervision arrangements can be found in MN.12.6 (overarching note).

RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Providers are responsible for ensuring services claimed from Medicare using their provider number meet all legislative requirements and they may be required to submit evidence for compliance checks related to Medicare claims. Practitioners should ensure they keep adequate and contemporaneous records. For information on what constitutes adequate and contemporaneous records see GN.15.39.

RELEVANT LEGISLATION

Details about the legislative requirements of the MBS item(s) can be found on the Federal Register of Legislation at www.legislation.gov.au. These items are set out in the following regulatory instruments:

• Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021 – item 10987
• Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Telehealth Attendances) Determination 2021 – items 93200, 93202

Related Items: 10987 93200 93202

Publication date: 1 July 2026

SUMMARY

This note sets out the common requirements for MBS services that can be provided on behalf of a medical practitioner by practice nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners (items 10983, 10987, 10988, 10989, 10997, 93200, 93201, 93202, 93203).

The item requirements and health providers eligible to provide a service differs for each item. Details on item specific requirements are as follows:

USE OF THE ITEMS

Note: The requirements set out in this note must be met in addition to the requirements contained in each item’s relevant associated note. Refer to the table in the Summary section for the relevant associated notes.

These items are used by medical practitioners when specified services are provided on their behalf by eligible practice nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners to deliver relevant services to patients (as specified in each item).

Services delivered by the health practitioner must be within the accepted scope of practice of the health practitioner, in accordance with accepted medical practice and under the supervision of the medical practitioner.

These items may be claimed with a single bulk billing incentive when they are bulk billed. Information on bulk billing incentives is available in MN.1.1.

The regulations state that the service must be provided under the supervision of a medical practitioner. Does that mean the medical practitioner must be in the same room as the person delivering the service?

No. Supervision at a distance is acceptable. However, in order to claim Medicare benefits, the medical practitioner must be in Australia and be readily contactable to provide timely clinical advice as required. The medical practitioner retains overall responsibility for the patient’s care. 

I am qualified health professional (not a medical practitioner) and I am able to practice independently within my scope of practice. Why do I need supervision when providing these services?

The MBS considers these items to be medical practitioner items. This means the service can be provided by another health professional on behalf of the medical practitioner but the medical practitioner remains legally responsible for the service.

Supervision in these items refers to the legal responsibility under the MBS. MBS supervision requirements are distinct and separate to supervision requirements, including ability to practice independently, under the National Boards and the Australian health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Aphra).

The health practitioner that provides the service on behalf of the medical practitioner is still subject to their professional standards, scope of practice and State and Territory laws.

Can I provide remote supervision from overseas? 

No. The Health Insurance Act 1973 requires the person rendering the service to be in Australia. As the medical practitioner’s Medicare provider number is used to claim the service, they are considered to be the person who renders the service. 

We have a nurse practitioner at the practice. Can they provide practice nurse services under these items?

Yes. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with an endorsement as a nurse practitioner. Therefore, provided they are working in general practice or a health service with a relevant section 19(2) exemption to the Health Insurance Act 1973, they meet the definition of a practice nurse for the purposes of these items.

Nurse practitioners may also provide services using nurse practitioner attendance items (see MN.14.12). If a nurse practitioner provides a service to a patient on behalf of a medical practitioner and an attendance service on the same day, the services must be independent services and clinically necessary. Both items cannot be claimed for the same service/time.

Is it ever appropriate to co-claim another item with an ‘on behalf of’ item during a patient’s visit?

Yes. Co-claiming may be appropriate where both services provided by the practitioner(s) are distinct and clinically relevant services consistent with the patient’s health needs, there is no duplication of services, the requirements of each item (including time requirements) are fully and independently met and there are no relevant co-claiming restrictions on the other item.

ELIGIBLE PATIENTS

Any patient who is eligible to receive Medicare benefits, is not an admitted patient of a hospital, and meets the criteria for one or more of the following items may receive one of these services, subject to the specified service limits:

ELIGIBLE PRACTITIONERS

These items are medical practitioner items. The services are delivered by an eligible practitioner on behalf of, and under the supervision of, a medical practitioner.

The medical practitioner must claim the MBS item and retains responsibility for the health, safety and clinical outcomes for the patient. The health practitioner delivering the service on behalf of the medical practitioner must be appropriately qualified and trained to deliver the service.

Services must be rendered according to the provisions of the relevant Commonwealth, State and Territory laws. For example, practitioners may only administer a vaccine where the service is in line with the provisions of relevant State and Territory laws for the regulation, control, supply and use of drugs and therapeutic goods.

As set out in the table below, depending on the item rendered, eligible providers may be practice nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers.

The terms ‘practice nurse’, ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker’ and ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner’ are defined in the Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations).

The Regulations define a practice nurse as "a registered or an enrolled nurse who is employed by, or whose services are otherwise retained by, a general practice or by a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the [Health Insurance] Act applies.”

The Regulations define an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker as "a person:

1. who holds a qualification of Certificate III or higher in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care from the Health (HLT) training package; and
2. who is engaged by a medical practitioner in a general practice or a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the [Health Insurance] Act applies.”

The Regulations define an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner as “a person:

1. who is registered under the national law in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practice profession; and
2. who is employed by, or whose services are otherwise retained by, a medical practitioner in a general practice or a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the [Health Insurance] Act applies.”

RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Providers are responsible for ensuring services claimed from Medicare using their provider number meet all legislative requirements and they may be required to submit evidence for compliance checks related to Medicare claims. Practitioners should ensure they keep adequate and contemporaneous records. For information on what constitutes adequate and contemporaneous records see GN.15.39.

RELEVANT LEGISLATION

Details about the legislative requirements of the MBS item(s) can be found on the Federal Register of Legislation at www.legislation.gov.au. These items are set out in the following regulatory instruments:

• Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021 – item 10983, 10987, 10988, 10989, 10997
• Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Telehealth Attendances) Determination 2021 – items 93200, 93201, 93202, 93203
  

Related Items: 10983 10987 10988 10989 10997 93200 93201 93202 93203