GP after-hours billing — urgent attendances, non-urgent consulting rooms, home visits, and residential aged care.
| Attendance type | Mon–Fri | Saturday | Sun / Public Holiday | Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urgent after-hours | Before 8am or 6pm–11pm | Before 8am or 12 noon–11pm | 7am–11pm | 585, 588, 591, 594 |
| Urgent — unsociable hours | 11pm–7am | 11pm–7am | 11pm–7am | 599, 600 |
| Non-urgent — consulting rooms | Before 8am or after 8pm | Before 8am or after 1pm | All day | 5000, 5020, 5040, 5060, 5071 |
| Non-urgent — out of rooms / home visit | Before 8am or after 6pm | Before 8am or after 12 noon | All day | 5003, 5023, 5043, 5063, 5076 |
| Non-urgent — residential aged care | Before 8am or after 6pm | Before 8am or after 12 noon | All day | 5010, 5028, 5049, 5067, 5077 |
The practitioner must first determine the patient requires urgent medical assessment. The attendance must be requested during the same unbroken urgent after-hours period. If at consulting rooms, the practitioner must return to and specially open the rooms. Document the urgency assessment. Note: 585–600 are not Level A/B/C/D items — they are practitioner-category splits (GP vs non-GP, rural vs non-rural, primary patient vs additional patient).
| Item | Description | Fee | Benefit (100%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 585 | GP — urgent after-hours, single patient (7am–11pm) Vocationally registered GP. Rooms-open required if at consulting rooms. | $155.40 | $155.40 |
| 588 | Non-GP medical practitioner — urgent after-hours in rural area, single patient (7am–11pm) Practitioner who is not a GP. | $155.40 | $155.40 |
| 591 | Non-GP medical practitioner — urgent after-hours not in a rural area, single patient (7am–11pm) Practitioner who is not a GP. | $107.75 | $107.75 |
| 594 | Each additional patient at an attendance qualifying for 585, 588 or 591 For the second and subsequent patients seen at the same urgent attendance. | $50.20 | $50.20 |
| 599 | GP — urgent unsociable hours (11pm–7am), single patient Requested and attended in same unsociable hours period. | $183.15 | $183.15 |
| 600 | Non-GP medical practitioner — urgent unsociable hours (11pm–7am), single patient Practitioner who is not a GP. | $146.35 | $146.35 |
Used when the patient attends your consulting rooms during an after-hours period for a non-urgent matter. Benefit paid at 100% (no gap).
| Item | Duration / Level | Fee | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5000 | Level A — brief, obvious problem | $34.70 | $34.70 |
| 5020 | Level B — 6 to <20 min | $58.65 | $58.65 |
| 5040 | Level C — 20 to <40 min | $100.55 | $100.55 |
| 5060 | Level D — 40 to <60 min | $140.95 | $140.95 |
| 5071 | Level E — ≥60 min | $239.45 | $239.45 |
Used for home visits and attendances at places other than consulting rooms, hospital, or RACF during after-hours. Derived fee items — fee depends on number of patients seen at one location on one occasion.
| Item | Duration / Level | Base fee (1 patient) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5003 | Level A — brief | $65.80 | 5000 fee + $31.10 ÷ patients (max 6) |
| 5023 | Level B — 6 to <20 min | $89.75 | 5020 fee + $31.10 ÷ patients |
| 5043 | Level C — 20 to <40 min | $131.65 | 5040 fee + $31.10 ÷ patients |
| 5063 | Level D — 40 to <60 min | $172.05 | 5060 fee + $31.10 ÷ patients |
| 5076 | Level E — ≥60 min | $270.55 | 5071 fee + $31.10 ÷ patients |
Used for after-hours attendances at RACFs (not self-contained units). Higher derived fee flag fall due to travel. After-hours period: Mon–Fri before 8am or after 6pm; Sat before 8am or after 12 noon; all day Sunday and public holidays.
| Item | Duration / Level | Base fee (1 patient) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5010 | Level A — brief | $90.65 | 5000 fee + $55.95 ÷ patients (max 6) |
| 5028 | Level B — 6 to <20 min | $114.60 | 5020 fee + $55.95 ÷ patients |
| 5049 | Level C — 20 to <40 min | $156.50 | 5040 fee + $55.95 ÷ patients |
| 5067 | Level D — 40 to <60 min | $196.90 | 5060 fee + $55.95 ÷ patients |
| 5077 | Level E — ≥60 min | $295.40 | 5071 fee + $55.95 ÷ patients |
🔹 Sunday and public holiday rule: After-hours items apply all day — you cannot bill standard items (23, 36, 44) on these days.
🔹 Urgent vs non-urgent: Urgent items (585–600) require documented clinical assessment of urgency and must be requested and attended within the same unbroken after-hours period.
🔹 VR vs non-VR: Items 585, 588, 591, 594, 599 are for vocationally recognised GPs (FRACGP / FACRRM). Item 600 is for non-VR practitioners in unsociable hours. Non-VR practitioners use the 733/737/741 series for non-urgent after-hours consulting rooms.
🔹 Derived fee items: Items 5003, 5023, 5043, 5063, 5076, 5010, 5028, 5049, 5067, 5077 are derived fee items. The fee varies based on the number of patients seen at that location on that occasion. Record the total number of patients on each account.
🔹 100% benefit: All after-hours GP items are paid at 100% of the schedule fee — there is no 15% gap as with standard items.
🔹 Bulk billing incentives: After-hours items attract bulk billing incentive items. See the MBS Conflict Checker and your practice software for applicable BBI items by Modified Monash area.