From 1 March 2024, three existing Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) procedural items (items 13703, 40018 & 55135) will be replicated into the anaesthetic RVG within the General Medical Services Table (GMST). The replication of items 13703, 40018 and 55135 into the RVG will enable anaesthetists to co-claim these procedural items together with the administration of anaesthesia which, unless approved by the Minister, is otherwise prohibited under Section 16(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the HIA).

The replication of items is such:

• Item 13703 (for blood transfusion services) will be replicated into item 22052.
• Item 40018 (for the insertion of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drain) will be replicated into item 22053.
• Item 55135 (for real time transoesophageal echocardiograph) will be replicated into item 22054.

The replication of these items from the GMST was supported by the Medical Services Advisory Committee Executive (MSAC) in December 2022 and approved by Government for funding on the MBS in the 2023-2024 Budget.

Further information is provided in the factsheet below:

Word Version - Replication of three items into the Relative Value Guide for Anaesthesia (Word 130 KB)
PDF Version - Replication of three items into the Relative Value Guide for Anaesthesia (PDF 162 KB)