Another MBS review stuff-up hits GP angiogram requests

Description

Health officials have admitted changes to the items four months ago did not reflect the intentions of the MBS Review Taskforce.

The Federal Government is being forced to fix another MBS Review Taskforce bungle that means GPs are technically unable to request CT angiograms for suspected pulmonary embolism.

Items for non-coronary CT angiography were updated in May in response to a report by the taskforce’s diagnostic imaging clinical committee.

Under the changes, MBS item 57350 was split into three separate items with different rebates covering specific vessels in either the head and neck, torso or lower body.

The item descriptors for the new items also said the scans could only be requested by a GP if the request stated the patient’s case had been discussed with a non-GP specialist

 

Subject

MBS Review

Radiology requesting

General Practice