Monday, 7 July 2025
MBS updates from 1 July | Reforms in women's health and beyond
The new financial year brought important updates across the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), with changes in women’s health, diagnostics and chronic disease plus continued reindexation.
Women’s Health
Two significant women’s health initiatives were introduced this financial year that are likely to have downstream impacts on gynaecological imaging and treatment services:
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New assessments for women with ovarian insufficiency, early menopause, perimenopause and menopause (20 minutes, available annually). Item 695 and 19000 are available for GPs and prescribing medical practitioners respectively. The items are temporary for two years while further changes are considered. A fact sheet with assessment requirements is available here.
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New longer gynaecological consultations with increased rebates for endometriosis, pelvic pain and other complex conditions (45 minutes). Item 125 and 126 provide for longer initial and subsequent gynaecological consultations with a schedule fee of $178.70 and $89.40 respectively. New items 127 and 129 provide for equivalent video attendances.
The new MBS item for complex endometriosis ultrasound will commence later on 1 November 2025 and is being developed with input from the ASA.
Indexation continues
The government’s phased reintroduction of indexation continues, with the new rate of 2.4% applied on 1 July 2025 to an increasing number of MBS items, including non-PET nuclear medicine, many general medical and pathology items. Most diagnostic imaging items are now indexed, including ultrasound (reintroduced in 2020). While this year’s rate is below the 2024 rate of 3.5% and well below the latest annual health inflation rate of 4.1%, indexing is crucial to support ongoing access to affordable diagnostic services and viability of the sector. However, indexation alone cannot reverse the damage caused by over two decades of MBS fee stagnation, and the ASA continues to advocate for sustainable funding reform.
Diagnostic imaging
Further changes in diagnostic imaging include:
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changes to eligibility requirements for MRI equipment, transitioning from equipment-based licenses to practice-based licences
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two new low-dose CT chest items (57410, 57413) under the National Lung Cancer Screening Program
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a New PET item (61528) for whole-body PSMA studies to support eligibility assessment for prostate cancer treatment.
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clarifications to fluoroscopy items (60506, 60509) to ensure time periods are accurately attributed to fluoroscopy rather than surgical procedures.
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an update to mobile x-ray item 57541, confirming that a call-out fee can be claimed when services are requested by nurse practitioners
More information about the diagnostic imaging changes are outlined in a Fact Sheet and for the full list of MBS changes this financial year please visit MBS Online.
Fact Sheet | Diagnostic Imaging Services – Changes from 1 July 2025
Keen to know more? Visit the ASA Advocacy page for access to all our written submissions or contact the policy team at policy@sonographers.org