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Make sure you read the relevant Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item descriptors and explanatory notes at MBS Online.
Diagnostic audiology items 82300-82332 let eligible audiologists perform diagnostic tests and procedures.
These services help ENT specialists and neurologists diagnose, treat or manage ear diseases or related disorders.
They supplement otolaryngology MBS items 11300-11345 for services delivered:
- by medical practitioners
- on behalf of medical practitioners (excluding item 11304 which a medical practitioner must provide in person).
How to request diagnostic audiology services
Medicare benefits are payable for these items if an eligible medical practitioner writes the request:
The request must contain all of these:
- date
- name and practice address or provider number of the eligible medical practitioner requesting the service
- description of the service that shows how it relates to a particular item.
The request doesn’t need to specify the item number.
Items 82301, 82302 and 82304 don’t require a request.
How to make additional requests
If you’re an audiologist, you must contact the requesting practitioner if any of the following apply:
- the written request is incomplete
- you need to clarify details of the written request
- you think the patient may need additional tests.
If required, an audiologist must get an additional request.
A request may be for more than one diagnostic audiology service as part of a single audiological assessment. Audiologists need a new request for each new audiological assessment.
It’s up to the medical practitioner to write a new request.
Audiologists must keep the written request for 2 years from the date they performed the service.
How to report results
After providing a diagnostic audiology service, an audiologist must give the requesting medical practitioner:
- a copy of the results of the service
- written comments on the results.
Audiologists should give the results to the medical practitioner within 7 days of performing the service.
How to claim diagnostic audiology services
An eligible audiologist must perform all services both:
- individually
- in person.
These services aren’t available for patients admitted in a hospital or for hearing screenings.
Audiologists need a written request to claim items:
How to meet eligibility
To be eligible to claim these items, audiologists must register with us and be either:
- a Full Member of Audiology Australia who holds a Certificate of Clinical Practice
- an Ordinary Member - Audiologist or Fellow Audiologist of the Australian College of Audiology.
Audiologists can use their existing provider number if they’re already registered with us to perform diagnostic audiology services under other items.
Other item numbers for audiologists
As long as they have an appropriate referral, where relevant, audiologists can also provide other audiology services.
The table below shows:
- other audiology service item numbers
- which patients are eligible.
| Item number | Eligible patients |
|---|---|
| 10952 | People with a chronic or terminal medical condition and complex care needs |
| 81310 | Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australians who’ve had a health assessment |
| 82030 |
People aged under 25 years with a suspected complex neurodevelopmental disorder or an eligible disability for assessment services |
| 82035 |
People aged under 25 years with a diagnosed complex neurodevelopmental disorder or an eligible disability for treatment services |
More information
Read more about:
- the Schedule at MBS Online
- education services for health professionals
- health assessment resources
- our website disclaimer.
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