MBS item

16400
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Antenatal care by practice midwife, nurse or Aboriginal health practitioner in regional/rural/remote areas under medical supervision, up to 10 times per pregnancy, not with other antenatal items same day.

Category 3 · Therapeutic procedures[Group T4](/groups/T4)

Schedule fee$32.65

100% benefitGP, out of hospital—

85% benefitOut of hospital$27.80

75% benefitIn hospital—

The schedule fee for MBS item 16400 is $32.65. Medicare pays $27.80 (85%) out of hospital. Fee effective 1 July 2026.

Gap for what you charge
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Your fee$

Out of hospital

Medicare pays$27.80

Patient gap$4.85

Bulk billing means accepting $27.80 as full payment, with no gap and no extra charges. [Add incentives](/bulk-billing?item=16400)

Item descriptor
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Antenatal service provided by a practice midwife, nurse or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner, applicable 10 times for a pregnancy, if: (a) the service is provided on behalf of, and under the supervision of, a medical practitioner; and (b) the service is provided at, or from, a practice location in a regional, rural or remote area; and (c) the service is not performed in conjunction with another antenatal attendance item in Group T4 for the same patient on the same day by the same practitioner; and (d) the service is not provided for an admitted patient of a hospital or approved day facility

[Explanatory notes and rules on MBS Online ↗](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=16400)

Guides
------

- [How Medicare benefits work: schedule fees, 75%, 85% and 100%](/guides/how-medicare-benefits-work)
- [Medicare safety nets explained: original and extended (EMSN) thresholds for 2026](/guides/medicare-safety-nets)
- [In-hospital billing: the 75% benefit, the 25% fund benefit, and no-gap and known-gap schemes](/guides/in-hospital-billing-and-gap-cover)
- [Bulk billing incentives and BBPIP explained: 2026 amounts by MM area](/guides/bulk-billing-incentives)
- [The MBS multiple operation rule and surgical assistant fees](/guides/multiple-operation-rule)
- [Assignment of benefit for bulk billing: the changes from 1 July 2026](/guides/assignment-of-benefit-2026)
- [MBS telehealth rules: the eligible telehealth practitioner and phone items](/guides/mbs-telehealth-rules)
- [GP chronic condition management plans: items 965 and 967 explained](/guides/chronic-condition-management-plans)
- [Medicare billing compliance: claim time limits, records and the 80/20 rule](/guides/medicare-billing-compliance)

Data source: [Australian Government Medicare Benefits Schedule](https://www.mbsonline.gov.au/) · Record updated 1 September 2026. Health fund rates come from each fund's published schedule. Verify item descriptors, rules and fees on [MBS Online](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=16400) before billing. This is a reference tool, not billing or financial advice.