How do I use Medical Fees Online?

1. Select the date of service for your MBS item. When you select a different date of service, MFO automatically reloads the page.
   Note - fees for previous months are only available to subscribers.
2. Select the State or Territory where the medical service was/is to be performed.
3. Select the fees schedule that applies to your patient.
4. Look up fees by entering one MBS item number or description keyword. Subscribers can look up multiple item numbers, a range of item numbers, or multiple description keywords:
   • Individual Item Numbers - enter one or more MBS item numbers separated by spaces, up to a maximum of ten numbers (multiple numbers for subscribers only).
   • Range of Item Numbers - (subscribers only) enter the first and last numbers of the range of numbers you wish to search separated by a hyphen, e.g. 49560-49563. You can only enter one range at a time.
   • Item Description Keywords - enter one or more words or partial-words to return all items with those words in their MBS description (multiple words for subscribers only). For example, entering the word "arth" would return any description containing words with "arth" in them, such as arthroscopy, arthroplasty, arthrotomy etc.
   IMPORTANT! (for subscribers) You can search individual item numbers OR item number ranges, but not both together in the one search. However, you can limit your results by combining an item number range with a word search; only items in your range with your keywords will be shown.

Does it cost anything to use Medical Fees Online? How often can I use it?

MFO is free to view the fees current for this month and you can use it as often as you like. If you would like to look up fees from previous months you can subscribe to MFO. Subscribers can also use the website with no ads, and they can look up multiple item numbers, keywords or an item number range.

What is a Medical Fees Online subscription? Do I need to subscribe or login to use MFO?

A subscription lets you use MFO without any advertisements, lets you look up fees from previous months, and also look up multiple item numbers, keywords or an item number range. Subscribing is optional and you can use the site for free to look up current fees as long as you allow our ads to show (for example, if you use ad-blocking software you must add www.medicalfees.com.au to your ad-blocker whitelist).

When is MFO updated? Where can I find out about MFO updates and news?

MFO is updated just before a new Medicare Benefits Schedule is due to begin. The major MBS update each year commences from 1 July, and there are other updates throughout the year. The health funds and WorkCover agencies are variable in how often they update their schedules: some are strictly in sync with the MBS, while others are updated at arbitrary times throughout the year. We keep track of these and update MFO as necessary. You can read about the latest MFO news on our Facebook page.

Medical Fees Online used to display AMA fees. Where have they gone?

The Australian Medical Association has demanded that we stop displaying fees from their fees list under threat of legal action. The AMA said they do not licence their fees list to any third party for publication.

I entered an item number that I know exists in the MBS, but it says 'no records found'. Why is that?

The fees schedules from health insurance organisations do not include all the item numbers in the MBS; if an item number is not in the health insurer fees schedule then MFO will return 'no records found'. Note: you can always look up the MBS fee for any item number by selecting 'Medicare Benefits Schedule' as your fees schedule.

My patient does not have health insurance. Which fees schedule should I select?

You should select 'Medicare Benefits Schedule' as your fees schedule. It will show you the patient's Medicare rebate amount for your MBS items.

I have practice software which reports a different fee to this website for an item number. Which is correct?

If you find a discrepancy between the fee reported on MFO and that reported elsewhere, you can either check the fees directly with the health insurer, or contact us with the details and we will look into it.