Medicare Benefits Schedule - Note MN.12.3

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

• Previous - Note MN.12.2
• Next - Note MN.12.4

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)

Follow‑up video attendance 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 service is consistent with the needs identified through the health assessment

Fee: $33.70 Benefit: 85% = $28.65

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

Follow‑up phone attendance 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 service is consistent with the needs identified through the health assessment.

Fee: $33.70 Benefit: 85% = $28.65

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