Changes to cardiac imaging services

Last updated 6 July 2023

Changes to MBS cardiac imaging items

From 1 August 2020, MBS items for electrocardiograms (ECGs) that include reporting will not be available to support care provided by GPs, with patient rebates for GP-performed ECGs restricted to item number 11707 (currently 11702) for tracing only.

The table below provides an overview of existing items and the items that will supersede these from 1 August.

Service

Existing item

Superseded by

Twelve-lead ECG, tracing and report

11700

11704

Twelve-lead ECG, report only

11701

11705

Twelve-lead ECG, tracing only

11702

11707

Another new item – 11714 (Twelve-lead ECG, performing a trace and interpretation) – is also being created. This item does not replace any existing items and is intended to be used to support tracing and interpretation performed by a non-GP specialist on referral from another doctor.

GPs will be able to request, but not claim, the following items that will need to be accompanied by a referral for a specialist or consultant physician:

  • 11704 (12-lead electrocardiography, tracing and report)
  • 11705 (12-lead electrocardiography, report only where the tracing has been forwarded to a specialist or consultant physician, not in association with a consultation on the same occasion)
  • 11714 (12-lead electrocardiography, performing a trace and interpretation).

The changes are based on recommendations made by the 12-Lead Electrocardiogram Working Group of the Cardiac Services Clinical Committee of the MBS Review Taskforce.

On 15 September 2020, the item descriptors for items 11704, 11705, 11707 and 11714 were amended to highlight that the ECG items cannot be co-claimed with sleep study items.

Full item descriptors and rebates are outlined below (current as of 15 September 2020).

Item number

Descriptor

Rebate

11704

Twelve-lead electrocardiography to produce a trace and a formal report, by a specialist or a consultant physician, if:

  1. the service is requested by a requesting practitioner; and
  2. a copy of formal report is provided to the requesting practitioner; and
  3. the service does not apply if:
    1. the patient is an admitted patient; and
    2. the specialist or consultant physician who renders the service has a financial relationship with the requesting practitioner; and
    3. the specialist or consultant physician who performs the service has performed a service to which an attendance applies for the same patient on the same day; and
  4. the service is not associated with a service to which item 12203, 12204, 12205, 12207, 12208, 12210, 12213, 12215, 12217 or 12250 applies

$27.45

11705

Preparing a formal report only on an electrocardiography trace, by a specialist or a consultant physician, if:

  1. the service is requested by a requesting practitioner; and
  2. the formal report uses a trace provided from twelve-lead electrocardiography for the patient which has:
    1. been provided with the request from the requesting practitioner; and
    2. has not been previously been reported on; and
  3. a copy of the formal report is provided to the requesting practitioner; and
  4. the service does not apply if: 
    1. the specialist or consultant physician who renders the service has a financial relationship with the requesting practitioner; and
    2. the specialist or consultant physician who performs the service has performed a service to which an attendance applies for the same patient on the same day, unless exceptional circumstances exist; and
  5. the service is not associated with a service to which item 12203, 12204, 12205, 12207, 12208, 12210, 12213, 12215, 12217 or 12250 applies

For any particular patient, applicable no more than twice on the same day.

$16.15

11707

Twelve-lead electrocardiography to produce a trace only, by a medical practitioner, if the trace:

  1. is required to inform clinical decision making; and
  2. is reviewed in a clinically appropriate timeframe to identify potentially serious or life-threatening abnormalities; and
  3. does not need to be fully interpreted or reported on; and
  4. the service does not apply if the patient is an admitted patient; and
  5. the services is not associated with a service to which item 12203, 12204, 12205, 12207, 12208, 12210, 12213, 12215, 12217 or 12250 applies

For any particular patient, applicable no more than twice on the same day.

$16.15

11714

Twelve-lead electrocardiography to produce a trace and a clinical note, by a specialist or consultant physician, if:

  1. a copy of the clinical note is provided to the medical practitioner managing the patient’s care, if appropriate; and
  2. the service does not apply if the patient is an admitted patient; and
  3. the service is not associated with a service to which item 12203, 12204, 12205, 12207, 12208, 12210, 12213, 12215, 12217 or 12250 applies

For any particular patient, applicable no more than twice on the same day.

$21.25
 

The Department of Health has developed a number of resources outlining the changes, which are available from Safe and Best Practice Cardiac Imaging Services.

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