Indexation
From 1 July 2026, an indexation factor of 2.6% will be applied to most medical services, diagnostic services and pathology items.
Please see the RACGP’s MBS online tool for accurate rebates after 1 July 2026.
Assignment of benefit changes
In response to advocacy by the RACGP, proposed changes to the assignment of benefit (AoB) process for bulk billed Medicare services have been significantly modified. Verbal consent will be allowed in all settings until 1 July 2027, and enduring AoB will be an option for all MyMedicare registered patients, residents of aged care facilities and patients attending Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs).
Providers and software vendors that have already prepared or are preparing for the new arrangements, including through digital solutions, should continue that work. Please note compliance will not commence until regulatory changes are complete and will begin with prevention and education.
For further information on AoB, please see the RACGP’s advocacy page on the AoB changes and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s FAQ document.
New paediatric sleep items
From 1 July 2026, two new paediatric sleep study MBS items (items 12218 and 12219) will be available for Level 2 polysomnography out-of-laboratory, home-based sleep studies. These studies are for the investigation of sleep disordered breathing in children aged between 3 and 11 years and adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years.
For patients to receive these sleep studies, they need to be referred by a medical practitioner to a qualified paediatric sleep medicine practitioner. The paediatic sleep medicine practitioner will also need to determine that the investigation is necessary, and an unattended sleep study is appropriate for the investigation.
For further information please see the MBS fact sheet: New MBS items for unattended (Level 2) paediatric sleep studies.
MBS items for colonoscopy following a positive faecal occult blood test
From 1 July 2026, there will be a new MBS item (item 32219) for colonoscopy following a positive faecal occult blood test (FOBT), and MBS item 32222 will be amended to remove FOBT services from the descriptor.
The new item (32219) will provide for colonoscopy following a positive FOBT when the test has been performed for screening purposes (i.e. when a patient is asymptomatic).The creation of this new item is intended to provide clarity for practitioners and patients on appropriate use of MBS colonoscopy items and assist in the monitoring of asymptomatic patient clinical journeys. It is also intended to improve interaction between the MBS and the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
For further information please see the MBS fact sheet: New item for colonoscopy following a positive faecal occult blood test (FOBT).
New mental health incentives for GPs treating veterans
From 1 July 2026, new incentives will support more proactive and coordinated care for veterans experiencing mental health conditions.
For GPs, the additional $99.30 incentive item can be co-claimed with an attendance item for the development of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) or a time-tiered consultation (>20 minutes) where the attendance is for review of a MHTP and provision of ongoing mental health care. The incentive can be accessed up to four times per year.
All veteran card holders are eligible for these services. No co-payment can be charged under DVA billing arrangements.
No additional training is needed by GPs to claim the incentives, however DVA encourages providers to undertake training from the Veterans’ Health eLearning Platform (VETs HeLP) within MedCast.
For more information on requirements and how to submit a claim, visit the DVA website.
More information
For more information on the July 2026 MBS changes, see the news page on MBS Online and collection of fact sheets.