Women’s Health Week spotlight: new MBS items for menopause care
03 Sep 2025
While the Government points to wins from its ‘landmark women’s health package,’ questions remain about support for GPs and patients.
More than 20,000 women have had menopause health assessments since new Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items started in July. But some experts say the changes don’t go far enough to improve access to care.
The new items were introduced on 1 July as part of the Federal Government’s landmark women’s health package, aimed at giving patients better access, more choice, and lower costs.
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Item 695: allows GPs to provide menopause and perimenopause health assessments for women experiencing premature ovarian insufficiency, early menopause, perimenopause, and menopause.
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Item 19000: available to prescribing doctors who are not vocationally registered GPs.
The rebates are $101.90 for GPs and $81.50 for prescribing medical practitioners, with a minimum consultation time of 20 minutes.
Dr Karen Magraith, past president of the Australasian Menopause Society, said the new items are positive and have encouraged more GPs to upskill or discuss menopause with patients. But she believes a higher Medicare rebate for longer consultations would be more helpful than introducing condition-specific items.
“I can’t do a proper menopause consultation in 20 minutes. Mine usually take 45–60 minutes,” she told newsGP.
“Instead of splitting care into menopause, mental health, or heart health, we should increase rebates for longer consults so GPs can give patients the time they need.”
The Government, however, says the new items are already helping women, with Assistant Health Minister Rebecca White noting that many have accessed longer appointments, some fully bulk billed.
Other measures in the women’s health package include cheaper medicines. Since March, more than 715,000 scripts for oral contraceptives, menopause hormone therapies, and endometriosis treatments have been dispensed at lower cost. For example, the price of some hormone therapies has dropped from $670 a year to $31.60 per script, or $7.70 for concession card holders.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the reforms are designed to ensure GPs are better equipped to support women through menopause, with further changes coming on 1 November, including improved access to affordable IUDs and birth control implants.
Still, experts stress more must be done. Dr Magraith called for consistent guidelines, better GP training, and improved care for women in disadvantaged groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally diverse women, those with disability, and people in rural and remote areas.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the college will continue to work with Government to close the gender care gap.
“Improving women’s healthcare and addressing inequities must be a top priority,” he said.
(Source: RACGP)