Medicare Benefits Schedule - Item 193

Professional attendance by a medical practitioner who holds endorsement of registration for acupuncture with the Medical Board of Australia or is registered by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia as an acupuncturist, at a place other than a hospital, for treatment lasting less than 20 minutes and including any of the following that are clinically relevant:

(a) taking a patient history;

(b) performing a clinical examination;

(c) arranging any necessary investigation;

(d) implementing a management plan;

(e) providing appropriate preventive health care;

for one or more health-related issues, with appropriate documentation, at which acupuncture is performed by the medical practitioner by the application of stimuli on or through the skin by any means, including any consultation on the same occasion and another attendance on the same day related to the condition for which the acupuncture is performed

Fee: $42.20 Benefit: 100% = $42.20

(See para AN.0.29 of explanatory notes to this Category)

Extended Medicare Safety Net Cap: $126.60

• Previous - Item 191
• Next - Item 195

Items 193, 195, 197 and 199 cover not only the performance of the acupuncture but include any consultation on the same occasion and any other attendance on the same day for the condition for which acupuncture was given. 

For the purpose of payment of Medicare benefits "acupuncture" is interpreted as including treatment by means other than the use of acupuncture needles where the same effect is achieved without puncture, eg by application of ultrasound, laser beams, pressure or moxibustion, etc. 

For more information on the content-based item structure used in this Group, see para AN.0.9 of explanatory notes to this Category.

Related Items: 193 195 197 199