Can I bill a Medicare telehealth item if I’ve never seen the patient face-to-face?

Generally no — most GP telehealth items require an established clinical relationship: the GP or another GP at the same practice must have seen the patient face-to-face and billed an MBS item in the last 12 months. However, exemptions apply for patients under 12 months of age, patients experiencing homelessness, natural disaster affected areas, Aboriginal Medical Services, urgent after-hours (unsociable hours), mental health focussed psychological strategies items, blood-borne virus/sexual health items, and GPCCMP preparation or review.

What is the difference between video and phone telehealth for GPs?

Video is the preferred modality under MBS rules. Both video (91790–91802) and phone (91890–91910) items are available to GPs. Video items cover the same time tiers as face-to-face consults. Phone items are also available but longer phone items (91900 ≥20 min, 91910 ≥40 min) are restricted to MyMedicare-registered patients only. If a patient is not MyMedicare-registered, only items 91890 (brief) and 91891 (≥6 min) are available by phone.

Does MyMedicare registration affect telehealth eligibility?

Yes. Patients registered with MyMedicare at your practice automatically satisfy the telehealth eligibility requirement regardless of face-to-face history. Additionally, MyMedicare-registered patients can access longer phone consultation items (91900 for ≥20 min at $87.10, and 91910 for ≥40 min at $128.35) that are not available to non-MyMedicare patients.

What MBS items do I use for a GP video consultation?

GP video items are: 91790 for a brief/Level A consultation ($20.55), 91800 for 6–20 minutes ($45.05), 91801 for at least 20 minutes ($87.10), 91802 for at least 40 minutes ($128.35), and 91920 for at least 60 minutes. These are equivalent to in-person items 3, 23, 36, 44, and 123 respectively.

Can I bill telehealth for a new patient I’ve never met?

Only if an exemption applies or if the patient is MyMedicare-registered at your practice. If neither applies, you cannot bill most GP telehealth items for a new patient without a prior face-to-face encounter. The practice-based exemption allows telehealth if another GP at your practice has seen the patient face-to-face in the last 12 months and billed an MBS item — you do not personally need to have seen them.

Do telehealth exemptions need to be documented?

Yes. If you rely on an exemption (e.g. homelessness, natural disaster, under 12 months), you must document the specific exemption and your clinical reasoning in the patient’s notes at the time of service. This is a legislative requirement and will be checked in audit.

Can I bill a health assessment via telehealth?

No — health assessments (items 701, 703, 705, 707, 715) require a personal attendance by the GP. They cannot be provided via video or phone.

Telehealth Eligibility Checker — Can I Bill This?

GP telehealth MBS items — quick reference

Fees as per MBS July 2026. All items 100% benefit. Requires eligible telehealth practitioner or exemption unless stated.

Item	Modality	Duration	Fee	Notes
91790	Video	Brief / obvious problem	$20.55	≡ item 3. No minimum time. All patients.
91800	Video	6–20 min	$45.05	≡ item 23. MyMedicare or established relationship.
91801	Video	≥20 min	$87.10	≡ item 36.
91802	Video	≥40 min	$128.35	≡ item 44.
91920	Video	≥60 min	$202.65	≡ item 123.
91890	Phone	Brief / obvious problem	$20.55	≡ item 3. No minimum time.
91891	Phone	≥6 min	$45.05	≡ item 23.
91900	Phone	≥20 min	$87.10	MyMedicare patients only ≡ item 36
91910	Phone	≥40 min	$128.35	MyMedicare patients only ≡ item 44

Exemptions — no established relationship needed

Document the exemption and clinical reasoning in the patient's notes at time of service — legislatively required for audit.

Under 12 months of ageAny eligible telehealth practitioner can see an infant via telehealth.

Experiencing homelessnessPatient does not have suitable stable accommodation.

Natural disaster affected areaState/Territory declared disaster area — applies until declaration expires.

Aboriginal Medical Service / ACCHOService provided from an AMS or Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service.

Urgent after-hours (unsociable hours)Urgent consults between 11pm and 7am. Items 599/600 rules apply.

Mental health FPS items onlyFocussed Psychological Strategies delivered by a GP under Better Access — any eligible GP, any patient with an MHTP. Note: this does not cover MHTP preparation or review itself (2700/2701/2715/2717 and telehealth equivalents) — since 1 Nov 2025 those need one of the 4 pathways below, same as any other GP telehealth item.

BBV / Sexual / Reproductive HealthBlood-borne virus, sexual health, or reproductive health — specific items only.

GPCCMP preparation or reviewItems 92029, 92030 — GPCCMP via video, no relationship requirement for the telehealth eligibility rule.

⚠️ Cannot be done via telehealth

Health assessments (701, 703, 705, 707, 715) — personal attendance required. Cannot be provided by video or phone.
Procedures and minor surgery — any item requiring physical examination or intervention.
Admitted hospital patients — MBS telehealth items not payable for admitted patients.
Phone-only when video is clinically appropriate — video is the preferred modality. Phone is permitted where clinically appropriate and documented as such.

The established relationship rule — explained simply

A patient qualifies for telehealth if any one of these applies:

1. You personally saw them in the last 12 months — any face-to-face MBS-billed consultation with you.

2. Another GP at your practice saw them in the last 12 months — any face-to-face MBS-billed service at your practice, by any GP or on behalf of a GP (e.g. practice nurse visit billed under GP).

3. Patient is registered at your practice via MyMedicare — satisfies the requirement automatically regardless of face-to-face history.

4. You're a deputising GP (AMDS) — your AMDS provider has a formal agreement with a practice that has seen the patient face-to-face in the last 12 months.

Important: A previous telehealth consultation (video or phone) does not count as a face-to-face service for the purposes of establishing telehealth eligibility. The face-to-face requirement must be met with an in-person attendance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bill 91800 and 91801 on the same day for the same patient?

No. Only one time-based item per consultation. If you have two genuinely separate consultations on the same day, you need to record the time of each and they must not be a continuation of the first. Use the Billing Conflict Checker for same-day claiming questions.

Can I bill 91800 and a MHTP (2715) via telehealth on the same day?

No — you cannot co-claim a standard consult item with a GPCCMP or MHTP on the same day. The MHTP (2715) stands alone. Same rules apply by telehealth as face-to-face.

The patient moved from another practice — can I see them by telehealth?

Not unless they're MyMedicare-registered at your practice, an exemption applies, or you see them in person first. Their previous GP's face-to-face history at another practice does not transfer to you.

What if the video drops out mid-consult?

Only time where both audio and video links are maintained counts toward the consultation duration. If video drops and you switch to phone-only, document this. If you continue by phone, the phone item rules apply. If total time is insufficient for the item, bill a lower tier.

Do I need any special software for telehealth?

No specific platform is mandated. You need a solution that provides real-time audio and video, meets privacy requirements, and is clinically appropriate. Services Australia recommends checking cyber.gov.au for guidance on secure web conferencing. Document the platform used where clinically relevant.