Middle Ear Implants 41618 (PDF 213 KB)
Middle Ear Implants 41618 (Word 506 KB)


What does the new procedure involve?

MBS item 41618 is for the surgical insertion of a partially implantable active middle ear implants via mastoidectomy in patients with mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The service is restricted to patients who, for a range of medical reasons, cannot wear conventional hearing aids. These patients have considerable unmet clinical need for the service as they are not suitable for cochlear and bone conduction implants.

What are the patient eligibility requirements?

Before receiving the service, patients will require audiometry tests demonstrating that they meet the eligibility criteria. The procedure is for patients with the following indications:

· stable SNHL

· outer ear pathology that prevents the use of a conventional hearing aid

· a pure tone average (PTA at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0kHz)4 of less than 80 decibels hearing level (dBHL)

· bilateral, symmetrical hearing loss with PTA thresholds in both ears within 20 dBHL (0.54kHz) of each other

· speech perception discrimination of at least 65% correct for word lists with appropriately amplified sound

· normal middle ear

· normal tympanometry

· on audiometry, an airbone gap of less than 10dBHL (0.54kHz) across all frequencies

· no other inner ear disorders.

Fee: $1876.95; MBS benefit: 75% = $1407.75

This item can be claimed with items from Group T9 Assistance at Operations and Group T10 Relative Value Guide for Anaesthesia.

Where can the procedure take place?

The procedure can be performed only in hospital.

Relevant organisations

· Audiology Australia

· Australian College of Audiology

· Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

· Australian Hearing

· Australian Medical Association

· Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

· Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

· Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

Find out more

For details of the 1 May 2017 MBS changes, please refer to Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (2017 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2017 (click on the ‘Explanatory Statement’ tab) or visit MBS Online. See the Medical Services Advisory Committee’s website for more information about the committee’s recommendation to list the service.