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For Health Professionals Primary Care Support MyMedicare Better Access and Mental Health Treatment Plans

Better Access changes effective 1 November 2025 

Better Access MBS item changes came into effect on 1 November 2025. These changes aim to enhance continuity of care and improve integration of support for physical and mental health needs. 

What is changing? 

From November 1, Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) preparation, referrals for psychological therapy services or focused psychological strategies services, and reviews of a patient’s MHTP, need to be provided by either: 

  • A GP or Prescribed Medical Practitioner (PMP) at the general practice in which the patient is enrolled in MyMedicare, or, 
  • Regardless of whether the patient is enrolled in MyMedicare, by the patient’s usual medical practitioner.  

MyMedicare and usual medical practitioner requirements will also apply to GP and PMP MHTP telehealth items, with these services no longer exempt from the established clinical relationship rule.  

In addition, from November 1, existing Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) item numbers ceased for: 

  • GP and PMP MHTP review items (2712, 92114, 92126, 277, 92120, 92132) 
  • GP and PMP ongoing mental health consultation items (2713, 92115, 92127, 279, 92121, 92133) 

GPs and PMPs can instead use the time-tiered professional (general) attendance items to review, refer, and/or provide ongoing mental health consultation for a patient’s mental health. There are no changes to MBS item numbers for preparing a MHTP. 

With these changes, Video Level C and D general attendance items can be billed for all patients. However, Phone Level C and D general attendance items can only be claimed for MyMedicare registered patients by the patients’ MyMedicare practice.  

What is not changing? 

The timing of MHTP reviews will not be changing. Reviews should not occur more than once every 3 months, or within 4 weeks of the preparation of an MHTP unless there are exceptional circumstances. Where it is consistent with their MHTP, patients remain able to access MBS-supported services for: 

  • Up to 10 individual treatment services per calendar year 
  • Each initial and subsequent course of treatment is limited to a maximum of 6 services, up to the patient’s cap of 10 services per calendar year 
  • Up to 2 services may be provided to a family member or carer per calendar year, which counts towards these 10 individual treatment services per calendar year 
  • Up to 10 group treatment services per calendar year 

Mental Health Case Conferencing MBS items can also be used for patients who have been referred for treatment under the Better Access Initiative or who have an active eating disorder treatment and management plan. 

These changes do not affect Focused Psychological Strategies services, which will continue to be available to any patient from any eligible GP and eligible PMP who has the appropriate training recognised by the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration. Better Access telehealth focused psychological strategy treatment services provided by GPs and PMPs will continue to be exempt from the clinical relationship rule. 

Referrals for mental health treatment services dated prior to 1 November 2025 remain valid until all treatment services under that referral (within the maximum session limit for the course of treatment) have been provided to the patient.  

The billing arrangements for allied health providers remain unchanged and patients will need to discuss with their allied health provider the gap fee they can expect to pay following Medicare rebate. 

These changes do not affect patients who have been referred via a Psychiatrist Assessment and Management Plan or by a direct referral from an eligible psychiatrist or eligible paediatrician.  

Steps your practice can take 

  • Review any important language changes in how you or your team discuss Better Access and/or MHTPs with patients, to help avoid any confusion. 
  • While patients will now carry one MHTP with them to be reviewed/updated when needed, consider avoiding language that implies a ‘Mental Health Treatment Plan for life’. This language may be confronting for patients, and does not encourage a recovery-focused perspective. 
  • Discuss what these changes mean with your practice team and identify any activities or processes you need to review or update (e.g., considering whether to incorporate MyMedicare registration in your workflows for mental health, use of phone telehealth MHTP reviews, patient population needs, reviewing internal item coding arrangements). 
  • Register your practice for MyMedicare if you have not done so already. 
  • Prepare your practice team to engage with patients about MyMedicare. 
  • Consider printing copies of the MyMedicare brochures and MyMedicare patient registration frequently asked questions for your practice team to have on hand to support conversations with patients.  
  • Consider updating your practice website to include links to MyMedicare brochures, MyMedicare patient registration information, and MyMedicare patient registration frequently asked questions. 
  • Consider placing MyMedicare posters and brochures in your practice waiting room/reception and displaying MyMedicare patient videos in your waiting room screens.  

 Where can I find more information? 

  • The full item descriptors and information on other changes to the MBS can be found on the MBS Online website. You can also subscribe to future MBS updates by visiting ‘Subscribe to the MBS’ on the MBS Online Website.